


Capture the Moment

by dnawhite76, Prubbs



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Band Fic, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-28
Updated: 2014-10-28
Packaged: 2018-02-22 23:33:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 28,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2525744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dnawhite76/pseuds/dnawhite76, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prubbs/pseuds/Prubbs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Isaac is the new photographer for a hot, young band named Banshee. Turns out it has a hot, young Banshee as a headman. Read it. It'll make you smile. Alternating perspectives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Capture the Moment

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote the song Lydia is writing at the beginning of this just in case anyone is curious. Here is the link on my YouTube;  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgdOvjftzoo
> 
> Enjoy!

The noise around him was different than what he was used to. Mostly because there was noise. Someone yelled for a light. There was a yell back that came from so close behind him that he winced. Lights testing, that he was supposed to be paying attention to. He knew what he was doing. He had gone to school for this, but he still couldn't believe that he had people setting up his lights. "Glare," he said quietly to the camera. The leather couch was reflecting too much of the light. He knew most of it would be covered by the band as they sprawled across it, but he would still be bothered by it. 

"What?" Erica asked. He pointed to the couch. 

"There is a glare." She nodded and relayed his message. That was even stranger. He had an assistant. He still could figure out what he was supposed to do with her. So he just talked to himself and she did what she heard. The light was adjusted and the glare was gone. His phone started ringing. He stepped back and answered it after checking that he had time, the band was still in wardrobe so he knew he had a few minutes. "Lahey," he said in his most professional voice. 

"Oh Isaac, you sound so grown up." he checked the phone but it was clearly as number he didn't know. 

"What number are you calling on?" 

Laura chuckled. "My boss' I lost mine and he's being nice. How is the shoot going?" 

He looked around. "I'm not sure. People are running around like the world is ending." as he said that a girl sprinted by with a look of panic on her face.

"You're supposed to stop that." 

He sighed. "I don't know how. The biggest issue I've had to deal with was this seagull that kept photo bombing every picture." Derek still had one of them hanging on their wall. 

"I know you can do this. Or I wouldn't have put you up for the job." he knew that. She had risked her job for him to get this. 

"I haven't taken pictures of humans since high school." he reminded her. 

"And that's why I sent in those pictures too. She liked you. Just deal with it." He was about to ask who when Erica tapped him on the shoulder. 

"Hey. I have to go. Tell Derek that surprise party he's planning isn't a surprise anymore. The cake showed up this morning while he was out." Laura growled out an okay and said bye. 

"They're ready." he nodded. 

 

Stiles was drumming on the arm of the couch. He'd already settled and didn't look like he was going to move. Scott leaned against the arm, he was telling Stiles he wasn't supposed to sit yet. "It's fine," he chimed in. Stiles stuck his tongue out at Scott. 

"Grow up," Allison laughed hitting Stiles on the back of the head before leaning into Scott. 

"Where is our fearless leader?" Stiles asked looking around. He turned and she walked in. Lydia, the only band member he hadn't gotten to meet before when they had been deciding on a theme. Her hair was redder than he had expected and was a mass of curls. She walked through the room like she knew she deserved all the glances that she drew. He stepped behind the camera. He took a single picture of them just talking. He adjusted a single light and let them settle naturally on the couch. The stand held the camera. He clicked away, digital lens whirring like his personal camera did. He didn't like a single one he took. They were so distant. Nothing that he had used to take. Screw it. He picked the camera off the stand even though the record company had insisted on it. They could deal. Lydia smirked as he stepped closer to them. He snapped the picture before that moment disappeared. 

"So when is the tour?" he asked even though he knew. 

"It starts next week," Allison said. 

"Where?" 

Scott responded, "Here." He kept taking pictures. 

"Where are you most looking forward to playing?" All of them answered at once. He caught it. And as they started to debate which place was actually the best the pictures were better. They weren't stiff. Lydia turned to talk to Stiles and he hit the shutter. 

 

After a few more minutes he lowered the camera. "Now solo?" Stiles went first. He barely moved, and he didn't really want him to. His eyes followed him as he moved around him. "You can move," he mentioned. Stiles turned to him. "I know you want to fidget. It reads on your face." Stiles looked over the the trio standing behind the set of computers catching the photos. Lydia nodded and Stiles wiggled his fingers. 

"So are you excited to go on tour with us?" Stiles asked. 

He kneeled and got a picture of his fingers drumming the beat to one of their songs. "I guess?" He wasn't sure how it would go, but being the official photographer of a "hot, new band" was something he couldn't pass up, or at least that is what Laura and Derek told him. Cora just started screaming that he would get to meet them. 

"You don't sound very sure." He shrugged and caught the expression on Stiles' face. 

"Honestly I'm not. You are very different from buildings and landscapes." 

Stiles laughed. "That we are." he got the shots he wanted and Scott went next. He leaned against the armrest like he had been before. He didn't talk much, but he did tell him he would get used to it. 

Allison sat on the same arm rest, her leg bent to show off her heels. The girls had practice with being in front of the camera. "So I'm supposed to ask, for my roommates little sister, did you always want to play the bass?" 

Allison grinned. "No. I didn't even want to be in the band, Lydia made me and I don't know..." 

"She's a natural," Lydia said walking up. "My turn yet?" Allison slid off the arm rest. Lydia sat where Stiles had been but leaned against the arm rest. He wondered if they had talked about it, or if they had just naturally all chosen the same place to set up. He didn't mind. It added a continuity to the solo photos that he liked. 

 

"Any questions for me?" She asked. He poke her knee and she moved it back. "Really?" She asked when he shrugged. "Well I have one for you." He took a few photos. "Why did you stop taking photos of people?" he snapped her face then stepped back. 

"I got a job?" He hadn't meant to stop, but the pictures he was commissioned to take weren't of people. 

"So you only do it for money?" 

He frowned and straightened. "No." She frowned back at him. Her photos were a stark contrast to the rest of the band. "Can you look like you're happy to be here?" he mumbled.

"Can you?" he snapped a few pictures, in one she had straight up glared at him. 

He lowered the camera. "I stopped after high school because I didn't have anything I wanted to capture. Is that good enough? Can I get a smile?" she smirked. It was close enough. She seemed to accept his answer after that and the rest of the shoot went by without a hitch. 

 

He went through the duo photos, his favorite was Allison and Stiles. They looked so uncomfortable together and he knew it was because the double photos were always Scott and Allison, the love birds, and Stiles and Lydia. But once they figured this wasn't a joke they seemed to have fun. He turned to call for Lydia to join Allison for the final set of the day and she was asleep in her chair. He took the picture before he could stop himself. Stiles woke her up and they finished. The girls vogueing for him at the end with a few laughs. "I'm glad Lydia picked you. They haven't laughed like that for a long time." Scott said as he looked over the photos. He looked over to where Lydia and Allison had pulled Stiles onto the couch and were kissing and smearing the lipstick over him. He wished he had his camera. He wanted that moment for himself, not the computer. 

 

Erica took the camera and started to pack it away. He went through the photos and flagged the ones he wanted. He flagged Lydia sleeping so they would send it to him. When he was finished Scott and Allison had already left, Stiles was talking to one of the wardrobe girls about him taking the jacket. "Why did you pick me?" he asked when he noticed Lydia was sitting back in her chair watching him. 

"The cheerleader and the football player. It was a great photo. Did he know you caught him crying?" 

"No." 

She smiled. "That's why. I want those." He finished what he was doing. "And the picture of baseball player." he laughed. "My roommate. He thought he was being smooth." He couldn't believe Laura had included that one of Derek. He'd fallen over as he was pretending to hit a home run. He'd caught the photo just as Derek caught himself with the bat. Derek hated it. 

"Your landscapes were beautiful. I didn't know it but my mom has one of your calendars." 

He was surprised. "Really?" 

She nodded. "Beaches?" he scoffed remembering that stupid seagull. "What?" she asked. "Its nothing." Erica walked up. "We have that meeting." he nodded. "See you soon," he offered Lydia. She waved as she went over to Stiles. 

\--

"And I want to, feel yooooooou up. And I want toooo break yoooooou down... and I need toooo taste your words before the meaning's so much more than I can--blah." She raked her fingers down on her guitar mindlessly and tossed it to the empty side of her bed before she fell back into her pillows. It was wrong, she had been working on that song for weeks, all of it was in her head but when she tried to put it out into the world she choked on every sound. 

"That was nice." Stiles told her with a mouthful of frosted flakes making her jump. 

She hadn't even noticed that he'd been creeping in her doorway again. "Damnit Stiles!" She chucked a pillow at him and he laughed holding his cereal out of the line of fire. "How many times do I have to tell you to fucking say something?" She demanded trying to be mad at him. 

He grinned, "Geeeze sorry." He waved his spoon in defeat. "But if you're going to be screeching about feeling people up you should expect me to stop by." He told her falling onto her bed next to her and they both stared at the poster of Queen that Allison gave her for her last birthday that she had hanging on her ceiling. Everything seemed so different since she had moved out a month ago when her and Scott got engaged. They had been living together for so long that she almost forgot that that was something that could even happen. Not that she didn't love living with Stiles, he brought a weird energy to the house that just made sense but she missed seeing her best friend all of the time. 

"Do you think Freddie Mercury ever got writers block?" She asked and the drummer snorted. 

"Where do you think Bicycle came from?"

 

The week went by too fast filled with too many phone calls and too many people promising her that Banshee was going to be the next big thing. She felt sick. "Maybe we should just call this off." She said when they were in there way to the airport. 

Allison groaned and rolled has eyes. "No" she told her. "We aren't doing this again. You pushed us into this, we're going." 

"Fine." She huffed blowing in the opening of her Starbucks cup as she pouted and leaned into Stiles. It was too early especially too be stressing out this much about something that she had been trying to do for her entire life. 

"Don't act like you don't love the attention." She grumbled and drank her tea that wasn't strong enough yet to cure her headache and Stiles laughed as they rolled up to the unloading area.

 

It took an hour for them to get through security and by the time they got on the plane she was a zombie. She stood on her toes trying to get her guitar to fit in the overhead compartment knowing full well that Stiles and Scott were laughing at her when they started chuckling behind her. "What happened?" Scott smirked, "I could have sworn you were taller yesterday." 

She made a face at him over her shoulder, "If you want to go through airport security in five inch heals be my guest." She told him jumping slightly but a longer pair of arms went over her and slid the guitar firmly into place. The photographer was standing so closely behind her that her back went into his chest when she came back down. He grabbed her arms to keep her on her feet, "Thanks." She huffed gratefully throwing a glare at the boys and Allison who had just joined in on the fun. She rolled her eyes and squeezed into her seat, Isaac following in behind her. 

"Looks like I'm next to you." He told her with a half-assed smile and sat down, quickly shoving his earphones in while Lydia stared at him slightly annoyed. She didn't get him but she definitely got the feeling that he didn't ever want to try and get her and frankly that pissed her off. She tucked her legs to the side and pilled her hair up into a knot on her head and plugged into her own little world before she started clicking her pen. She was going to finish this song if it killed her.

 

"Why oozing?" She jumped at the question that interrupted the two hours of silence and looked over to see that Isaac had pulled himself out of his funk. 

"What?" She asked and he pointed at the word she had scratched out. 

"Oozing. Its a weird choice of word." He told her. 

"That's why I chose it." She told him shutting the book and putting it away quickly, feeling a little violated now that he had read her song. 

"I don't get it." He told her, "It interrupts the flow." 

"I know." She told him and he waited until she sighed and said, "A song isn't a poem. It's a one sided conversation. When you have something you need to say you should say it in a way that expresses the feeling. Oozing works." She shrugged and picked his earphone back up.

"Guess I'd have to hear it." He told her dismissively and went back to ignoring her in time for her to grumble "dick" under her breath.

\--

Of course Derek still went through with the not a surprise party. He didn't think he'd cancel it, but he had hoped he did. He just didn't want to have a party congratulating him for something he hadn't even done yet. Derek snapped a picture of him as soon as he walked in. "How do you like that?!" he snatched his camera out of Derek's hands even though he knew Derek knew what he was doing. They had met in photography after all. Derek because he had been after one of the cheerleaders, who ended up dropping the class on the first day of school. Derek had stuck with it because it was an easy a. "I bought you a new roll of film. And a few spares," he said with a grin. He would finish the roll during the party. 

He checked the settings, Derek hadn't changed anything. He raised the camera and Derek made a face and he took the picture. "Beautiful." 

Derek laughed. "That's what they tell me." 

"Well then they are lying to you little brother." Laura bumped into him. "How was it?" 

He shrugged. "I don't know. I like what I got. I just hope they do too." Cora popped up. "Shouldn't you be in bed?" he asked and she shoved him. 

"Shut up. Tell me everything!" he let himself be dragged into the crowded kitchen and told Cora everything. He had a weak spot for the little sister he'd never had. A few hours, and too many drinks later, the party died down and it was just him and Derek lounging in the mess that used to be their living room. 

"Where did the pineapple come from?" Derek blinked at the fruit. 

"That's what that is?" they both stared at the innocent little pineapple. 

"Wanna eat it?" Derek asked. 

"Hell yeah!" 

 

He tossed the last of the outside away. "I'm gonna miss you man." 

He gave Derek a lopsided smile. "I'm gonna miss you too. You can always come visit. Cora would love it." They ate the pineapple. Derek leaned against the counter singing about the pineapple's proper name. "You're so drunk." he laughed. 

"Take a picture with me and the last of Ananas." he grabbed his camera from where he'd stashed it. There were only a few shots left. He leaned next to him and snapped the picture. "Ananas may have come into our lives unexpectedly, but he was cherished and will be missed." Derek gave the final piece of pineapple a solemn look before shoving it in his mouth. 

 

Cora handed him his phone before he left for the flight. "I added all their songs onto your phone. You need to do research." 

He gave her a hug. "Thanks." 

She pushed him off. "Don't get fired before I become all of their best friends." he laughed, but she looked serious. 

Derek shoved his duffle bag at him. "Let me know if you die." 

He nodded. "Will do." Derek smiled and pulled Cora to him. She fidgeted, but let him hang on her. 

"Bye." they looked like he was never coming back. 

"You know this is only for a year. I'll be back in a few months anyway." 

Derek nodded. "Just leave." he made a face at him. 

 

He sat half dreaming half listening to the music Cora had given him. He was halfway through the girl at his side doing a cover of a song he'd heard Derek listening to before when the plane shifted. "...your thighs and dive right in." he suddenly felt strange listening to her. He pulled out his earphones. The sounds of the cabin slowly replaced the voice still in his head. He focused on the clicking of the pen in her hand. She clicked once twice, tapped it on the paper to a beat only in her head, then clicked it again. He leaned back and the clicks continued. His eyes drifted to the page under the pen. He skimmed the lyrics. The question was out of his mouth before he'd even realized he had read the word. She shot him a look like he should go and die. He put his earphones back on and pretended like he wasn't regretting his decision to take this job. By the time they landed he'd listened to almost all of the songs. He hummed the song that had first got people's attention when it was picked for a soundtrack. It was clear why they'd named their band banshee when you heard Lydia belt it out at the end of the song. Lydia squeezed past him, taking the guitar he'd put down so he could grab his bag. Allison followed after her. Stiles and Scott seemed to be debating something. "So, what's your issue with Lydia?" Scott asked. Stiles had disappeared. 

They walked off the plane. "I don't have one." 

Scott glanced at him. "It seems like it." 

He shook his head. "I don't mean to." 

Scott smiled. "I know that now." 

He dug through his bag once they'd gotten out of the gate. He slipped his camera strap over his neck. "Smile." Scott did. 

"Let me see," Scott said when he turned to take a picture of the rest of the band where they were standing with one of their security people. "Its not digital," he commented. 

"I like to have something permanent." he said although he'd lost count of how many times he'd screwed something up and had ruined a picture.

 

"Looks like I'm stuck with you," Stiles said tapping him with a set of key cards. 

"What? Why?" 

Stiles shrugged. "Something went wrong with the reservations. I promise I don't bite." They headed up. He snapped a picture of Stiles in the reflection of the elevator. He wondered when they would get tired of him taking pictures. But it felt good to have his camera and film again. Stiles flopped onto the bed closest to the door. "Nothing like hotel beds," he sighed. He tossed his bag next to the next and sat down. "So who gave you the homework?" he looked over to where Stiles was watching him. 

"What?" he smiled. "I heard you humming, and you have been listening to us the whole flight. "The record company?" 

He shook his head. "A fan. She thinks I'm crazy that I'd never heard of you guys before." 

Stiles chuckled. "Maybe a little." 

He fell back to the bed. "I just don't listen to a lot of music. Most of the time I'm working and can't. Or I'm listening to whatever Derek does. I'd heard the original of Despite What You've Been Told before." 

Stiles sat up. "Really? I had to beg Lydia to do it. I love that song. I think she does too now." he grabbed his camera and took a picture of Stiles talking about how frustrated he was that the band didn't have any other songs. He checked the count before putting it away. 

 

The next two days were hectic. He was surprised how much went into a show. He took a few test pictures with the digital camera he was using for the concert as they ran the light show. He was talking with one of the roadies when the lights went up. "Testing. One two threeeeeee," Lydia spun as she held the note. She made a signal to one of the guys. "yeah I think that sounds better." she walked around chirping sounds. "I want to feel yoooooou up!" she popped the p. "I want to break yooooou down." the lyrics came to life as she sang. He took a few test pictures and went back to the conversation. "Come oozing through my skin," she sang and when he glanced up she was looking straight at him.

\--

She winked at Isaac announcing the word obnoxiously and grinning a little. She still wasn't sure how she felt about him but Stiles had come to her that morning and told her to give him a chance. "He's a cool guy once you get passed the quiet kind of meh thing he has going on." 

"The meh thing?" She smirked and he nodded. 

"You know that thing that he does with his face." 

"There's nothing wrong with his face." Allison chimed in scooting in next to her in the car. 

"Or the rest of him for that matter." Lydia relented and the two of them broke in to stupid laughter that was respectfully interrupted by Scott plopping down next to his fiance. She knew that Stiles was right and she was being too hard on the poor guy that she had practically gotten Laura to bully into spending a year with complete strangers. He deserved to be welcomed into their slightly twisted version of family and if he didn't want to be a part of it, well that was too damn bad. Not that she got a chance to tell him that. Sound check took an hour longer that she really wanted to spend but eventually everything sounder perfect and they were being rushed off the stage to be put through make up. 

"Keep your eyes shut tight." the stylist warned her coating her face with just a little spray of hair spray to keep her eyeshaddow from melting off under the lights and then they were curling her hair. She could hear the openers settling in to place above them and the crowd giving them a warm welcome to the stage. It was a hometown band, that had been important to her. She wanted all of the openers on the tour to be unknowns because that was what had gotten them on the top ten, filling in for some drunken pop star who didn't give a shit about the people who came to see them. She always liked going to hear new artists, she liked to know where they came from. They always felt so much more alive to her, a feeling that settled into the pit of hr stomach as stepped out on stage right when the band played her in. 

 

Three hours later and she couldn't breathe. The crowd had roared life into her but now that she was at the first of many after parties surrounded by tons of people that she didn't know and didn't care to. It was too dark and too crowded and there was only one thing that she wanted to do. "Smirnoff Ice, please." she told the bar tender when she finally got reached it and the man nodded and hurried away to pull some more out of the back. 

"Really?" She jumped when she realized that a cute boy in a suit and green eyes was standing next to her and raised her brow at him. 

"What?" she demanded with a little smile. 

"Sorry," he smiled in a confidant way that literally made her heart hurt a little. "Just seems like such a normal drink for a rock star." the bar tender set the drink in front of her and she smirked raising it to him. "

They say it's important to stick to your roots." she told him and he stepped a little closer. 

"And what are yours exactly?" he asked. 

She took a long drink of the bottle and wiggled it at him sliding off the stool. "Buy me another and I just might tell you."

 

Her head hurt the next morning. Actually, all of her hurt. She had forgotten to close the blinds in the hotel room the night before and now the world was punishing her by having the sun personally great her. In the face. She groaned rolling onto her side folding into a hunk of hard flesh and an arm that wrapped automatically around her when the the memory of of how shameful last night had been hit her. She wasn't in her hotel room. Carefully she got up and looked around the room. Where ever she was it was nice. The room was painted a light grey, all of the bedding and furniture set in deep blues and blacks. The man that was laying next her, just barely made decent by the sheet just covering him was just as nice of a view. She climbed out of the bed and quickly gathered her discarded clothing and found the nearest restroom to pull them on, glad that she had worn jeans so that the walk of shame would seem less shameful. She buckled her bra and looked at her makeup smeared self in the mirror with a grimace. Apparently the hair spray could only do so much. She washed her face clean and ran the brush in the medicine cabinet through her hair a few times, pulling it back into a pony-tail before sneaking back out and grabbing his shirt off the floor so she could button it on in place of her gold sequined top. She slipped out of the house mostly unnoticed, but the entire time she had the weirdest feeling that she was being watched until she got in the cab and shut the night out into her vault of shameful things. 

 

"You have sooooo much explaining to do." Stiles warned her a few hour later when they were packing up to head out to their next hot spot. 

"Explain what?" she asked and he pushed his phone over to her. There it was, a picture of her in a man's shirt climbing into a cab. She yanked the phone out of his hand and read the article that fortunately wasn't too bad. But it did inform her that her late night hook up had been with a senators son. She pursed her lips and handed the phone back. "You think that people would have better things to do that read about other peoples love lives." she huffed folding her pants a little more forcefully than she meant too and Stiles shrugged. 

"That's what you sign up for if you want to be famous." he reminded her and she glared at him to remind him she didn't need it.

\--

"Stiles Stiles over here!" he fake snapped a camera in his face while Stiles laughed. Allison sat back down at the edge of the bed. "We hear your relationship is on the rocks. Rumors" he said rolling over so he could do the same to her. She shoved him away with a smile. "You touched me! I'm suing," he said in a hoity toit voice. 

Stiles kicked at him. "You seem to be madder about this than any of us." 

He flopped onto his back. "Because no one deserves that. It's like its my people doing bad things." he didn't know how to explain it. He hated some of the pictures he'd taken for the year book because they had felt wrong when he'd taken them. He had always tried to capture part of the person behind the photograph. The photos covering the tabloids were always just skin deep. "It wasn't even a good picture," he mumbled. 

Allison laughed. "Is that it?" 

He shrugged. "Its complicated, but yeah. Its not hard to take a good picture of Lydia." He was saved from them asking about that by a knock at the door and a high pitched "Housekeeping". 

"Pizza!" Stiles chirped and jumped from his bed and halfway across the room. "That was awesome!" he shouted turning back to make sure they had seen his spectacular leap. 

Scott pushed in the door. "Who here ordered an extra large sausage?" Stiles looked confused. Allison shrugged and looked to him. 

He sighed. "Damn kids pranking us again." 

Scott huffed when they didn't play along. "You guys suck. Babe," he whined flopping onto the bed next to Allison. Stiles took the pizza box in his hands and shrugged. 

"I don't need an extra large one when I have yours," Stiles barked out a laugh and stole a slice before melting back onto the bed. The first few days he'd found it strange how close they all were, but now it was strange when one of them sat on the other queen bed. 

"We one short for dinner?" Scott asked, finally realizing Lydia was missing. 

"She's doing some damage control, not that there is any damage, but you know her. Image and blah blah blah." Allison shot Stiles a look. A lot of the conversations between the two of them consisted of mostly Stiles saying something and Allison rolling her eyes. 

 

They had a full day of radio interviews, that he wasn't allowed to photograph. He'd been a little put off, but he didn't really mind. He'd been in the city for a few days and hadn't really stepped outside of the hotel except to go to the arena. His eyes naturally drifted to the angles of the buildings, the little bit of flora in the metal entombed city. He sat on a lonely bench at the corner of a park and people watched. His eyes taking the pictures he wanted. There were days when he couldn't see any of the world's beauty if it wasn't through the lens of his camera, but today was not that day. His camera felt heavy in his hands and he realized how long it had been since he'd just sat and watched. "I would like to cordially invite you to a place commonly referred to as a restaurant. Would you be interested in attending? Press 1 for no, say sure thing Stiles for yes," he grinned. 

His stomach gurgling excitedly at the mention of food. "I don't know where I am right now, but sure thing Stiles." he made sure he sounded enthusiastic. He found a sign and read it like a lost child. 

"Yeah apparently we're near there," Stiles said after relaying the name to the driver. "Don't talk to strangers. We'll be right there." he laughed and hung up. He hovered by the sign. As the sun started to set the fountain in the middle of the park came to life. He raised his camera. As he took the picture a pair of kids ran into the shot squealing with glee as they watched the multicolored water dance. He hoped they weren't blurry. He glanced over his camera as their mom ushered them together. 

He was so lost in the moment he didn't notice the car slide up behind him until Scott was dragging him into the back. His camera smacked hard against his chest and he was once again grateful for the strap. "Do you guys have any candy?" he asked. 

Scott laughed. "No but we are pretty strange." Scott and Allison told him about their day. Stiles and Lydia and their heads together and the happiness Stiles had had on the phone was missing from his face. By the time they stopped in front of the bar and grill he was back though and the moment had passed. The thing he loved most about them was that every time they'd gone out as a group, it had been to some hole in the wall and they had managed not to be recognized. Today apparently was the exception to that though. They had finished eating and the bar had called. He'd been fine with that until a girl had walked up to him after Lydia had dragged Stiles onto the makeshift dance floor, and had raved about how lucky he was. He didn't feel lucky. He suddenly felt lonely. Scott and Allison were leaning into each other silently judging everybody that wasn't so perfectly happy as they were and Lydia was giggling as Stiles twirled her. He should have stayed at the park. He should have stayed at home where he could be lonely with his best friend and not feel like he was obligated to be happy. The girl pounced as soon as Lydia tapped out and Stiles called for her to just do a few more spins. He seemed surprised as she stepped up in front of him, but took her hand and spun her anyway. 

"You look like you could use a shot," Lydia offered. They hadn't talked since the plane. He'd gotten the distinct feeling that she was avoiding him. 

"You offering?" 

She slid a small glass over. "Insisting." Four shots and whatever drinks Stiles placed in front of him later and he was feeling good. 

"Did you- did you KNOW that.... The dodo bird could not fly?" he frowned. "That is why we have to protect the penguins. They only fly under water and that doesn't really count." 

Lydia shook her head. "That totally counts. Have you ever seen a penguin?" 

He shook his head. "Do they even exist? What if they went extinct and we didn't even notice? No one even knows what the dodo looks like. I mean like no one." 

Lydia laughed. "They aren't extinct silly." he blinked at her. "Isaac." She was suddenly close. 

"I not feel good," he mumbled from where he was doubled over on his stool practically leaning in Lydia's lap. She started to help him up, but he backed away. Scott was already there. "No photo," he mumbled and let Scott drag him toward the restroom. 

 

"You need to learn how to say no dude," Stiles screeched at him like a pterodactyl. 

He whimpered and curled into his stomach that hadn't stopped in its efforts to punish him for drinking that much. "You should be nice and stop screaming," he whispered. 

"Oh dude. You are going to be so much fun today." 

He pulled the covers back over his head. "I'm going to die. And if you feel any guilt and you should you'll let me die in peace." he groaned as the bed rocked. 

"Nope," Stiles chirped, the pterodactyl noise was there again, as he jumped on the bed.

\--

She woke up sandwiched between Scott and Allison who were wrapped around her like they were her own children. She groaned trying to wiggle her way out but they wouldn't budge just holding on tighter with ever small movement that she made. "Guys," she whined. Her head was pounding and she had to pee worse than she thought that she had ever had too in her entire life. This was definitely not the time ore place to cuddle but they didn't care. They were both wide awake, she could feel them holding in their giggles, finally she got fed up and pushed them off so that she could make a run for the bathroom. 

"How're you feeling boozy?" Allison asked when she came back and crawled back into their cuddle. 

Lydia groaned, "Like I was hit with a brick. Why am I in here?" she asked and Scott snorted. 

"We couldn't get you to go away last night so Allison thought the only way to get you to shut up would be to cuddle." he looked over her at his fiance with an impressed, quizzical glance. "Oddly it did." her best friend just smirked back at him to say, 'of course it did,' and turned her attentions back to Lydia carefully. 

"Okay, just remember that you were drunk before I tell you this and try not to freak out okay?" 

"What?" she demanded and her and Scott squeezed her extra tight. 

"You might have tried to kiss Isaac last night and he might have thrown up. Buuuuut, we did get you both home and away from each other before anything too bad happened." she added like that could possibly make it better. 

"Oh god." she emitted pulling the pillow out from under her head and shoving it in her face. She knew that she made pretty stupid decisions when she was drunk but she had been trying to be nice and invite him into their family. Now she had probably sent him running for the freaking hills. They pulled the pillow off her and she pouted at them. "What do I do?" she asked.

Scott shrugged, "Maybe nothing. He was worse off than you, might not even remember." he grinned and she sighed rolling over. 

"Good god I hope not." 

 

If he remember he didn't let on. But then again he looked too terrible to do much other than stare at his coffee cup at the little table that him and Stiles were occupying when they got to the lobby. She grabbed an extra cup of hot water and set it down in front of him slipping the tea bag out of her mug and into his. "Mint green tea." she told him quietly, the lobby still entirely too loud for her, "Helps with the queasiness." she told him and he pursed his lips and gave it a careful sip before sighing contently and taking a bigger sip. There group was immersed in excited conversation about the show that night so she took the time where attention wasn't directed on them to apologize. "Sorry about last night, I go a little over board sometimes." She admitted shamelessly. She was young, maybe drinking wasn't the best habit but it was one she had and one she would work on. Drunkenness was a side affect of her condition. 

Isaac shook his head, "I should have cut myself off." he told her, "It wasn't your fault at all." 

She grinned at him over her mug, "Who knew you were such a light weight." she laughed easiness rolling through her stomach that she wasn't quite sure if it was the tea or the person. "You could have just told me no." she poked at him and he ran a hand through his hair with a sheepish smile. 

"It's hard to say no to a pretty girl." he told her and she pulled the mug away from her face. 

"You think I'm pretty?" she asked a finely plucked eye brow reaching for the ceiling. 

"I...well I mean-" 

"Lydia." Stiles cut in and both of their heads snapped to the drummer. 

"What?" 

"The song, we need to go finish it up before rehearsal." She closed her eyes and her head fell back, she had completely forgotten about the song they had been working in as a teaser for their new album. 

"Right." she got up feeling exhausted and started after him. 

"Mind if I come?" Isaac asked a little light turning on in his eyes when he caught up to them which Lydia immediately recognized as a problem. It was a green light. A go sign for her libido that she didn't need as a distraction. She was about to make up a bad excuse but Stiles jumped in and accepted without a hitch, smirking slightly at his writing partner as he followed them into the elevator and made their way back up to Lydia's room. 

 

"Just twisting with your tongue all that...- it still feels wrong to me." Stiles sighed falling back onto her bed. they had been at the chorus for nearly an hour and had yet to get through a straight line without immediately rejecting it. "What are we missing here?" he asked and Lydia rubbed her eyes. 

"I think we're trying too hard for the rhyme. Maybe we should just try an in rhyme and trail the ends?" 

"You're being too nice." Isaac piped in. They both looked at him. He had been sitting quietly with them occasionally taking pictures. It was the first time he had spoken in that hour. 

"What do you mean?" she asked and he shrugged obviously not liking being put on the spot. 

"Well I mean, what is the song about?" He asked.

Stiles snorted,"My bitch ex girlfriend."

The photographer nodded, "Right." he told him and turned back to Lydia, "And you told me that songs were what you wish you could say. What would you tell her?" She pursed her lips and looked down at the paper guiltily before looking at Stiles. 

"Honestly?" and her partner nodded. She picked up her abandon guitar and matched the key Stiles had chosen before taking a breath and playing. "Cause you're no Joan D' Arch. No heroin stuck in God's pretense. Left with a lying heart-gnashing of teeth- who knew flames could bleed? And just to pass the time tried to take what's mine but you lost control. Still twisting with your tongue, fucking martyrdom- showing through your teeth." She bit her lip and raised her head. 

"God, what a bitch." Stiles hissed and they all started laughing.

 

\--

"Stiles. Stop moving." He knew it was a fools errand trying to get him to sit still when he was at his drum set, but he needed one solid picture and Stiles was practically vibrating. 

"What are you trying to get a photo of?" 

He sighed and lowered his camera. "You. Clearly. How about this? I count to three and you are still for that entire count then you can do whatever you want?" Stiles nodded, his fingers twirling the sticks twice before they settled on his legs. He raised the camera and counted. He snapped the photo as Stiles moved on three. He looked at the screen and smiled. "Thanks," he mumbled. Stiles was having too much fun and just banged a cymbal at him. "Fucking seagull," he mumbled as he walked back to the front of the stage. They were having an issue with the sound and he was taking that time to get some performance shots since he actually couldn't get them while they were performing in these big cities. 

"Seagull?" Lydia asked. 

He flinched. "Sorry." he hadn't realized he'd invaded her space. 

"What is a seagull?" 

He shrugged. "Something that is frustrating to take a picture of," he explained. He hoped she didn't tell... 

"Stiles! You suck!" Lydia yelled at him. Stiles did a drum roll before flipping her off. "I love you too!" she shouted blowing him a kiss. He caught it and crushed it before dropping it. 

He chuckled at Lydia's fake pained noise. "You want to sing for me?" he asked. He could get Lydia as she actually performed, from the ground level though. 

She twirled, "That's what I'm here for." he grinned. She'd been in a good mood all day. The lights moved as they ran through the program. She hesitated once she took the mic. "What do you want me to sing?" 

He shrugged and kneeled. "Anything." She glanced back at Allison talking to one of the sound guys as they worked on her bass that was looping into the mics any time she got close. 

"I'm a little tea pot," he laughed but took the picture as she continued to sing and dance. 

"Do a tale as old as time," he called after she sang another silly song. 

She looked at him. "Like beauty and the beast?" 

He nodded. "Do you know any others?" 

She took a second. "Ok." He took one picture as she sang the song. His eyes couldn't stay on the lens. When she ended he remembered the camera was supposed to be pointed at her and not sitting in his lap. He stood suddenly. 

"Kiss the girl!" Scott laughed bumping him. Lydia immediately started singing though. 

 

"So I think, and I have confirmed this with Scott, that you like Lydia." Stiles said after turning off the light. 

"I don't like her," he said turning to look through the dark. 

"You looked like you did last night when she sang for you." 

He sighed. "You'll laugh, but that is my favorite song, from my favorite movie." 

He was right and Stiles did laugh. "Your favorite movie is Beauty and the Beast?" 

He shrugged even though Stiles couldn't see him. "My mom loved Disney. I had no idea boys didn't love princesses until I was in middle school and answered that question in front of my class. My teacher thought I was joking." he didn't care anymore. Whenever he felt like crap he watched it, remembered him and Camden curled up watching it with their mom as she sang along and he felt better. 

"You are one complicated dude." he laughed. "You still like her. Even if you nearly threw up in her lap." he groaned. When Stiles had first told him what had happened he hadn't believed him, but Scott confirming it had done the trick. 

"I don't like her. I would tell you if I did. Promise." he didn't keep crushes secret. They ate at him if he did and it was easier to share. His ideal sharing would be Derek, but his replacement roommate would be good enough. 

"Fine. I still think you do." They were silent after that. 

 

"I can't sing," he insisted. Allison wasn't taking no for an answer though. 

"Its just one song Isaac. You won't die." She dragged him from the table where the rest of the band was cheering. Scott loudest of all after he'd gotten Allison drunk enough for her to go on stage. Lydia had already gone twice. Stiles and Scott rapped along to "Baby got back." he had enjoyed every second of them mumbling over half of the lyrics. He'd done two sake bombs, but hadn't touched his beer since and he was hosting a nice buzz. But definitely wasn't drunk enough to be willingly doing karaoke. "

What song?" he asked. 

Allison shrugged. "Scott picked it." She groaned when she saw the title. 

"I dedicate this to my fiance who I love as much as I loathe this song." Scott whooped and clapped as Journey started. By the end of the song he was enjoying himself and when he flopped into the empty chair next to Lydia, because Stiles had moved yet again he swore that he was playing musical chairs and wasn't telling anyone, he couldn't keep the smile off his face. 

\--

"Lydia Martin everybody," the young blond lady announced as she walked out from the back stage over to the desk she was sitting behind as the crowd roared and their single played overhead. It was still strange for her to hear her own voice playing back at her. Besides the first time that they heard it, she always changed the radio station when they came on. She didn't know why, obviously people appreciated her voice but all she picked out were the flaws and the little things that could have been fixed before they released anything. The host of the show stood and gave her a quick side hug before they let her sit down, straightening her skirt in front of her before she leaned back into the pillows. They shared a few small pleasantries and witty comments before settling in. "So Lydia," the host stared beaming, "I can't say that I had heard much of your music before this week but my niece has always been a huge fan and now I see why. Not only are you a stunning young woman but those lungs could shatter a window from fifty yards." she shook her head as the audience erupted again and she couldn't help the grin that tore at her lips. She waited for the crowd to quiet down before continuing. " How did all of this get started?" she asked and Lydia laughed slightly thinking about it. 

"Well the band has been together since high school but I think that the idea of a band was actually started when my best friend Stiles decided in the fifth grade that he was going to write his history project to the tune of American Woman. He had me help him for a week and when he got up in front of the class to do it he froze up." She glanced backstage at Stiles who was grinning at her and shaking his head at Isaac who was cracking up next to him. "It was very cute, and of course I had a huge crush on him back then so I got up and sang it for him." 

The audience ooohed and she rolled her eyes shaking her head when the host asked, "But there was never anything there?" 

"No, we spent way to much time together. I love him to death but it's strictly platonic." She assured everyone who looked almost sad to hear it. 

"What about your love life? I believe there was a scandal going around not to long ago about you and the senators son," she stated and the photo of her getting in a cab flashed on the screen behind them causing her to purse her lips. She had wondered how long it would take for them to get to this but decided earlier that she was going to handle it head on. 

"I'm not going to lie, it happened. I had a couple of drinks and he was attractive. It was no different than any other one night stand that anyone else in the world had." she told her wanting to set things right. She was tired of all the reporters assumptions that they were an idem when she hadn't even known his name until Stiles googled it. 

"So you aren't an idem?" She shook her head. 

"I didn't know him then and I don't now. I'm sure he's a nice guy but he's not mine." 

The host frown at her. "What kind of message do you think that you are sending out to your fans confirming that you had an overnight affair. There are a lot of young women that are looking up to you. What does this say?" 

"It says that I'm a human. And I'm honest." she told them. "No one ever said that being famous made you perfect and I certainly don't claim to be. I make mistakes and some bad choices. But I think that the difference between me and most people is that I can turn those experiences into music." 

The crowd was enthused and the smile back on the host's face when she said, "Very well said. But is there a mister right out there for you? Anyone who's caught your eye." 

She laughed when she thought about the conversation that Allison and her had been having with the boys on hot actors and shrugged, "I'll tell you what, next time you have Jackson Whittemore on your show you tell him to give me a call."

 

She had just curled up against the arm of the couch in Stiles' hotel room with her feet in Isaac's lap when her phones started ringing. She frown and folded in the corner of the page she'd just opened to back and put the book back down into her lap with a sigh. "Hello?" she asked into the receiver. 

"Lydia Martin?" the voice asked back. It was deep and smooth. 

"Yes?" she said cautiously shrugging at Isaac when he raised a brow at her. 

"Oh good, this is Jackson Whittemore." Her stomach did a little back flip and she leaped out of her seat running over to where Allison was on the bed and pounced on her. 

"It's Jackson Whittemore!" she hissed excitedly into her ear with the phone to her chest and they called for everyone to be quiet as she put the phone on speaker. "Oh, Jackson hi." she told him trying to sound cool, "What can I do for you?" she asked and Allison hit her in the arm trying to contain her glee. 

"I was actually just looking at the dates of your tour and saw that you are coming to LA pretty soon. I was wondering if I could maybe show you around when you're here?" 

Allison was practically biting her pillow and Scott and Stiles exchanged a look that she didn't quite get as she blurted, "Yeah that would be great." 

"Cool, then I guess I'll see you then?" 

She grinned, "Sounds great." she told him and they hung up just in time for Allison to let out a painful squeal.

\--

LA was the same as it had been the last time he'd been. And it drained him just as fast. Scott and Allison had gone to the beach immediately. Lydia left with Jackson a little while after that. Stiles stood over him wearing his swim trunks. "Let's go." he dragged him down to the pool and they spent the rest of the day swimming and lounging around. It was a pretty good day. Dinner with the happy couple when they got back from the beach looking a little like the lobster Scott ordered topped it off. He ran his spoon through the fudge topping on the ice cream scoop as Allison texted Lydia. Stiles leaned over to read the conversation. He barked out a laugh. "Mom!" Allison elbowed him. "You are such a mom." 

Scott coughed and Allison pat his back. "What?" he asked. 

"Lydia said don't wait up mom," Stiles laughed. He found that comment funnier than it was. Scott looked a little better and let out a shaky laugh. 

"I have a long day tomorrow, I'm out." he pointed to the exit. 

"Lame!" Stiles called. He flipped him off as he made his way out. 

 

He spent the day setting up the cameras. This was the biggest venue, one of the most important. He stood at the edge of the stage looking out into the empty room. In less than two hours it would be full of people. "Isaac? Hey you okay?" he turned to Stiles. 

"Yeah I'm fine." he looked back out. 

"This about Lydia and that Jackson douche?" Stiles bumped him trying to look mischievous. 

"I told you..." he sighed. A few of the crew moved around, he could hear them as they worked. 

"What is going on with you then?" he waved him off. 

"It's nothing. You should be worrying about not screwing up." 

Stiles scoffed. "Thanks so much for that. You are so helpful." 

He smiled. "That's what I'm here for." 

Stiles frowned. "What is it?" he knew Stiles wouldn't let it drop. 

"Derek got in a car accident last night." 

Stiles blinked. "Best friend Derek? Grump that growls at me when I answer your phone Derek? He okay?" 

He shrugged. "Laura said he'd live, but that's all I know. I'm just distracted." 

Stiles was quiet. "What are you still doing here?" he motioned to the empty chairs. "I can't skip out on today. Big night." Someone yelled for Stiles before he could say anything more and he was grateful for it.

 

The show flew by. He packed the camera away as he heard the crowd cheering. He checked his phone and had a few missed calls and a voicemail. He checked the schedule. There was a week between shows. It didn't take much for him to decide that he was going. He sent Stiles a text and grabbed his duffle before heading to the airport. 

 

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked when he walked into the kitchen and Derek was leaning against the fridge. 

"I got thirsty." 

He nodded. "And the look of pain on your face?" 

Derek frowned. "The doctor was right. I realized halfway through the living room I should have stayed in bed." 

He nodded and helped him back to his bed. Derek grumbled. "Cora is mad at you," he said when he brought him back the bottle he'd been after. 

"Because I almost died?" Derek was being so flippant about it and it was starting to bother him. 

"Because you can't take her to the show like you were supposed to." 

Derek shrugged. "She'll get over it." he tapped the cast that covered nearly Derek's entire leg. 

"I still don't know what you were thinking." Derek had taken his bike to get food that night. The 18 wheeler that had almost run him over hadn't seen him and he'd hit a divider hard. 

"The nurse said I looked like a rogue," Derek said touching the scrapes running down his face. 

There were more hidden under his shirt. "The nurse was lying." he joked as he went to answer the door.

 

"Hey!" he blinked. 

"Stiles? What are you doing here?" he stepped back so Stiles could walk in. 

"Lydia got sick. We have two weeks off and Scott and Allison are using it for boring wedding stuff. Plus I missed your face." he pat him on the face as he looked around. "Holy crap," Stiles mumbled when he stepped far enough in to see their entire living room. It was covered in his photos. "You... I see it now." 

He heard Derek yell for him. "Who was that?" Derek asked when he stepped back into the room. 

"Oh just some stupid drummer." Derek looked up in horror. 

"What?" he shrugged. 

"What is he doing here?" He looked back. 

"Boredom?" Derek was sitting up when he looked back. 

"Hey you," Stiles said sticking his head in the room. 

"Stiles." Derek said and he looked between the two of them. 

"Your face looks awful." Stiles was grinning. 

"Thanks," Derek grumbled. He tapped Derek on the knee. 

"I'm gonna go get some food. Stay in the bed. I'm not gonna help you back if you don't." He pulled Stiles with him. 

"We should take Lydia some too." Stiles said over Derek's car. He couldn't wait for Derek to heal so he could give him shit for destroying his bike. 

"She's with you?" 

Stiles nodded. "Yeah. She didn't want to sit at the house all by herself." 

\--

She was having some kind of crazy Nyquil induced dream when a hand shook her awake. "Hey Liddy." Stiles said softly and the bed dipped next to her, "Look who came to see you." She pulled the blanket down just enough to see Isaac standing back and looking at her as though she were some exhibit at the zoo. She frown deeply at Stiles not appreciating one bit the way that he laughed and turned to the blond. "So the Banchee lost her voice." He explained to Isaac, "The tour producer has put her on complete vocal lock down." At that Isaac almost cracked a smile and she tossed a pillow at him in resentment before rolling over to pout. Isaac plopped onto the bed beside her and Stiles climbed over her so she had to accept his presence. "Are you going to pout all day or eat your soup?" It was both adorable and creepy at the same time how both of their left eyebrows went up.

 

She threw her hands up when her favorite artists mold cracked and searched the sheets of the remote before giving up and looking at Isaac for help. She wasn't really sure why he had decided that he wanted the spend his time at home in a hotel room with her, hair in a knot and her glasses on but she found herself being ridiculously happy about it. "He's going to be fine," he sighed handing it over so she could skip the commercials. She gave him a look and flapped her arm desperately at the television to express her angst and he laughed. "They always say that." He said knowing what she meant automatically. "I'm pretty sure the show pays them to say stuff like that in their interviews." She shook her head still unconvinced and he sat up. "No seriously watch. They both sat forward on their knees and watched as her guy got top looks and they both did a dorky half jump and laughed until she started coughing. He handed her the water bottle next to him and she downed it rubbing her chest. 

She pulled out her phone and texted. -okay, you've watched like five bad shows with me. Time to come clean, why are you really here?- she sent it and he picked up his phone shaking his head when he saw it was her. 

A little smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth and he texted back -Maybe I just wanted to catch you in your glasses.- she rolled her eyes and he chuckled when he looked back at his phone. -your best friend stole my best friend.- 

She scrunched up her face and wrote back. -he has good intentions.- he nodded and started to type something then put his phone away. She pursed her lips. 'What?' She mouthed at him and he shook his head. 

"I should go." He said and got up, she walked him to the door wondering why she felt so giddy when she closed the door.

\--

Stiles slipped out moments after he got home. He saw the faint pink on his face and Derek's eyes wouldn't meet anyone's. After making dinner and cleaning up the kitchen he grabbed the plates and took them. He dropped onto the side of the bed where Derek was watching the same shows Lydia had been. At least he knew they had the same tastes. "Hey you." Derek's eyes darted to him mid forkful. "Just gonna say one thing. Hurt him and I hurt you." 

Derek raised an eye brow. "Really? You've known him for a few months and you're picking him?" 

He shook his head. "No. He's getting the same talk. Its what you get for dating my friend." 

Derek nodded. "Right. You're stupid." he made Derek tell him everything. He watched him smile stupidly as he told him about the late nights. 

"You still surprise me. Stiles sure as hell surprises me. All of his songs are about ex girlfriends. Who knew?" 

Derek shrugged. "We haven't really talked about any of that." 

He bumped his shoulder. "Shouldn't have pointed that out. Sorry. I'm stupid." 

Derek pushed him. "Yeah you are. Its no big deal." 

 

He let them have time alone as much as he could. Lydia forced him to watch movies he didn't want to watch, but couldn't think of a reason to say no. She rested her head in his lap. After a few days he dragged her out of the hotel room because she was going crazy, he could see it. "Welcome to my secret lair." he said with a wave of his hand. She chuckled her tongue, her cough having gotten better. But she still couldn't talk. He led her into the living room. He wanted her to see his work. The pictures he kept for himself. She smiled as she looked at the photos of his friends and family. "Laura had an awkward phase," he said following her line of sight. 

She typed something on her phone. -You did too.- she pointed to the picture of him and Derek at their senior prom. 

He couldn't even remember his date's name. "I didn't think so at the time. Just as many girls liked me as Derek, and he's always looked like that." he waved his arm at the big picture of him and Cora. Girls swooned when they saw it. Cora hated it because she had bangs. Laura carried a copy of it with her. He followed her around as she took in every photo in their cluttered gallery. It had been a long time since someone new had come over and he was excited. She stopped at one and pointed to it. He'd been eyeing one of his old ones, that he had taken and developed back when they were in photography. "That's not me." it was a photo of Laura smiling with her eyes closed cheeks red from the cold. A face that looked almost exactly like his nosing against her cheek looking at her like she was the whole world. "That's Camden. My brother." That photo was the last one he'd taken of a person before getting hired. It had been the eve of his brother's deployment and it was the last photo he had of him. He had printed a poster sized one for Laura and it still hung in her apartment. She hadn't moved on, but he hadn't either. Accepting the job had been a big step toward that and he hoped that Laura was taking the same steps.

-Are him and Laura together?- 

he hesitated. "Yeah. Corey and Topanga style. They were each others first everything. It was sick." She didn't comment on the past tense, so he didn't think she noticed. 

"Derek wants you guys to stop talking just loud enough for him to almost hear and come sit in here." Stiles smiled brightly. Lydia looked a little surprised. He hadn't told her. Oh this was going to be good. They were watching a baseball game. He was glad someone could enjoy that with him now. He had fallen asleep at the bottom of the third the last time Derek had made him watch. 

 

Getting back to the tour was a little surreal. He got an email a few days before they were to head back asking for a shoot. Just Lydia. He didn't know if she would take it. It was a cover shot, and the publicity was huge, but she had been very vocal about them being a band. The record company didn't seem to care. When he didn't immediately reply they told him it wasn't a request and he needed to set one up. That the magazine would run the photos he sent them. "Hey Lydia, outside or inside?" 

She frowned at him. "Out." she was talking, but as little as possible. 

"Time of day?" she rolled her eyes like she was following the second hand of a clock. 

"Just before sunset?" 

He nodded. "Thanks." she called after him as he left, but he didn't turn back. 

 

Lydia followed him, but she didn't stop asking where they were going. He just shrugged and continued walking. He watched the sky slowly darken with clouds. They had to hurry, but he wanted a specific place. He stopped and spun Lydia so her back was to the sun. She looked behind her. "What are you doing?" 

He grinned. "Taking your photo." 

She rolled her eyes. "You always take my photo." 

He nodded. "This is special. Maybe you'll make it onto the wall." Her eyes lit up. He had been joking, but she actually seemed to want that. "Okay. We only have a small amount of time, so work your Banshee magic." She gave him a wicked grin before sticking her tongue out at him. The Lydia who strolled around the hotel in pajama bottoms and a wife beater was gone and the Lydia who made the stage come alive was there. He loved every photo. She laughed as she made ridiculous faces and posed like models before her. He made her stop moving. "Just stay," he said quietly and moved closer. She looked straight through the camera. He wondered if Lydia had ever had an awkward phase. The way the camera loved her made her seriously doubt it. She laughed once. "What?" 

She shrugged. "It's strange." 

He peaked around the camera. "What is?" 

She shrugged. "I forgot that thing was there." she touched his hand where it was holding the camera. He didn't know what that meant. Her face was softer as they went back. He wiped a stray curl away and he almost didn't snap that expression, because he wasn't sure what it was. He felt the first drop of water hit his hair and their adventure was over. She screamed as they ran back to the car. As they fell into the backseat and the driver headed back he let the laugh he'd been holding in out. Lydia slapped his arm. "You did that on purpose didn't you." he couldn't respond through the laughter. Instead he just took a picture of her as she glared at him. They fought over the camera. She wanted the photo gone. He shoved it back in his bag and locked it while holding her face at bay. "I'm gonna get you." 

He beamed at her. "I'd like to see what you'd do." 

 

Stiles got sick. Not as bad as Lydia, but enough that he'd been quarantined. Lydia answered the door with a smirk. He shrugged his bag off on the empty bed. "You can manage to not take advantage of me right?" 

He fixed Lydia with a playful grin. "I'm saving myself for marriage."

\--

"Hows it going down there?" She asked when he cursed under his breath yet again and she felt the qtip swipe under her toenail. 

"Great." He grumbled knitting his brow in determination, no doubt regretting his comment early about how hard painting nails could actually be. She leaned back on the bed and grinned hugging the pillow to her chest as she closed her eyes. "You do this every day?" He asked cursing again and she laughed. 

"Just about." She told him and he whistled. 

"At least you don't have to shave your face." He teased bringing up and old argument. 

"Try shaving your legs!" She told him, "And underarms. Do you know what it's like to have razor burn in your armpit?" She demanded and he beamed at her. 

"I bet you're going to tell me." He was right.

 

"No we got a two bed sweet." She insisted to the young man behind the counter but he obviously didn't believe her. He just kept looking between her and Isaac as if there were no possible way that they could not be sharing a bed. Maybe that was just part of his job. 

"I'm sorry miss," he told her for the tenth time, "but it says a single on our records. Other than that we are booked solid." She was just about ready to leap over the counter and punch the guy but Isaac gripped her arm and frown at the man. 

"It's fine." He told him and pulled her away. "You sure are grumpy." He told her and he pouted. 

"I'm tired. And now I have to share my bed." 

He snorted. "You don't have to entertain me." He assured her and she crossed her arms. 

"Damn straight. If you drool on me I'll cuddle you to death."

 

There was a brief moment when they were getting ready for bed that she thought for once she might be a mature adult about this but the second the lights were out and they were both under the blanket her mind traveled to the darker part of herself. She pursed her lips and turned onto her side away from him telling herself that it was just Isaac. There was absolutely no need to be such a baby about this. She opened her mouth to say good night but bit it back. She had already rolled over, the ship had sailed and it was time to close her eyes and sleep. She was almost there when she felt and arm wrap around her pulling her into the muscular curve that was Isaac's chest. Her breathing hitched and she told herself over and over to calm down. "Isaac?" She muttered but there was only the steady sound of his breathing behind her telling her he was too far to reach. She relaxed and tucked her arm over his. They didn't talk about it the next morning. 

 

Stiles got better after a couple of days but that didn't keep Isaac away. Somehow he and Stiles managed to get a copy of her room key and decided that they would come and go as they pleased, remembering to at least knock as warning after an unfortunate incident after she got out of the shower. Stiles had whistled, Isaac had peaked through his fingers and she threw shoes at them until they slammed the door shut. "And how are my girls today?" The drummer asked straight to her chest when he got into the studio making her roll her eyes and punch him in the arm. 

"Shut up before I make you." She told him and he feigned fear as Laura's voice came over the speaker. 

"Lets try and get this in one take so we can all get this vacation started hm?" She told them and Stiles cheered. They had one more spot to hit in the tour and it would be done and then recording city. But if they could get this demo out then they would at least have two weeks off to feel semi normal until the new album came underway. 

"It would be nice to have a break." She sighed as she plugged in the beat up old guitar that her mom had gotten her tenth birthday ready to get this Queen tribute done. 

"Try not to kill my favorite song okay?" Stiles told her and she stuck her tongue out at him while Laura counted down and she breathed out, "Caaaaan aaaanybooody....find meeeeee. Somebody toooo...looooove?"

\--

He sat on Lydia's bed going through the photos from the last few days. Stiles and Scott were having a wicked Mario run and he was tired of them yelling at each other in fake Italian accents. Lydia had warned him she was trying to find a new outfit for a date so he'd be forced into judgeship. 

She had been desperate. "how about this one?" 

He glanced up. "Too much boob." 

She frowned and looked down. "Is that a thing?" he shrugged. "I was under the assumption guys liked boobs. Is there something wrong with mine?" 

He laughed. "Are you seriously trying to get me to compliment your boobs, you know they are awesome. Don't even." 

Lydia smiled and stepped back into the bathroom. "They are awesome," he heard her say softly. He scoffed. A few minutes later she was shoving him over in an oversized tee, her hair piled in some wild mess on top of her head. 

"Best one yet," he commented pulling on her sleeve slightly. He turned the screen slightly so she could see. Lydia was quiet for a few turns of the photos. Then she leaned against him and started talking about each photo. 

 

Cora was beaming as her, Scott, and Allison talked. It was the last show of the tour. There was a strange buzz going around all the crew. Stiles was perched on the arm of the loveseat backstage talking to Derek like he'd die if he didn't get every word out. He was impressed that Derek had made it. He doubted he would have bothered trying to beat the average recovering time if there wasn't the promise of Stiles at the end. Lydia floated in after her date. Allison shot her a look. She hadn't approved of her going out before the show, but apparently dating someone who's schedule was just as hectic as hers meant sacrifices had to be made. She had been up early for sound check and had barely made it out in time to make the date. He had been up as early because she'd tripped over him trying to get out of the bed they'd gotten tangled in. He was amazed she was awake still. They'd stayed up until almost dawn watching cartoons. He'd fallen asleep to her reciting a monologue of a squeaky mouse. She smiled at him and his stomach dropped out. "Oh no." He fiddled with the settings on his camera and mumbled some excuse to get out of the room. He liked her. Her smile had walked across the room and smacked him, forcing him to recognize the feeling that had been bubbling under the surface since she'd gotten sick. He'd watched her rushing around the room that morning and should have recognized it then. The smile on his face hadn't been anything but fond. 

 

The show flew by. Cora screamed at him when she saw him backstage after. He let her jump and listened to each word. She pulled out her phone and wandered off to tell the exact same thing to her friend. He fell down onto the couch next to Derek who had spent the whole show in the same spot. "I'm so glad this is over and I get to go home." 

Derek looked over to him. "What's up?" 

He shrugged. "It finally happened." Derek's eyebrows spoke for him. "I'm falling for a banshee." He settled his elbows on his knees and stared at the floor. 

"You can't have him. He's mine." he laughed and turned to look at the idiot. "Tell her." 

He shook his head. "Nah. I'm sure it's just a crush. I'll get over it once life is back to normal." Derek tried to say more, but the band flooded in and he made his exit as soon as he could before he did something he'd regret. 

 

Of course life didn't go back to normal. He was hired to do their album cover. He added it to the calendar and was grateful he had some time to get over this crush before having to work with them again. But almost two days after he'd gotten home from the tour he got a call from Allison. "So I have a favor to ask..." They were getting married early. Scott was tired of things getting in the way and Allison wanted to do it in the fall. It was now or never. 

"I haven't done wedding photos before." 

Allison didn't seem to care. "We wouldn't want anyone else." 

 

A week later he was scoping out the park they were using for the ceremony. Stiles dragged him to the bar with him insisting that he had left too soon after the tour ended and they needed one last bonding before the recording started. Bonding consisted of alcohol and drinking more alcohol, a little dancing, Stiles had refused but the girl didn't take no for an answer. He cut in after watching Stiles painfully try to keep her from dry humping him. "You can say no." Stiles nodded. 

"You should know. You're always saying no." Stiles sounded angry at him. But they settled at the bar and a few more glasses of liquid and a shot that had his mouth going numb. "Its like I chewed a whole packet of big red," Stiles exclaimed holding onto his tongue for a second before sucking it back into his mouth. 

"I like Lydia," he rushed.

Stiles nodded. "Derek told me." he narrowed his gaze. "He didn't mean to." Another shot appeared before him. They slowed down after that. Stiles was tilted in the booth they'd stolen from a group of girls who all went to the bathroom together. 

"She wouldn't like me. She's dating that guy with the face. I'm nothing special." 

"Most guys have faces. In fact I think all of them do. You have a face. A nice face. Allison said so." he smiled and ducked behind his hand. 

"Why would she like me?" Stiles didn't answer right away. 

He shrugged. "She's complicated." 

 

The cab driver seemed relieved to get them out of his cab. Stiles made a lot of noise as he fought with the key. It finally opened and they tumbled in. "Shhhhhh. Lydia is sleeping." he nodded. Stiles led him through the halls and to his room. "It'll be like old times." Stiles said as they slipped out of their shoes. He tossed his jacket at the dresser, but missed. "I kind of miss it." he admitted to the darkness. "Even if it is easier to be home." Stiles murmured. He wasn't sure if he understood or if he had fallen asleep. All he knew was that he was going to be sick. 

The tile was cold on his cheek. His head hurt, his leg hurt, his neck felt like it had been taken apart and reassembled incorrectly. But most of that faded when he saw the toes he'd painted inches from him. "You morons got drunk without me?" he nodded and groaned. "Figures. Stiles owes me pancakes." she turned with a click of her ankle. He was still staring. She hadn't repainted her toes. 

\--

She didn't make Stiles make pancakes although he had promised her that he would. Instead she pulled out a mixing bowl and started on them herself while she waited for her roommate and their friend to pull themselves back together. She knew that she kind of deserved that. She spent more time on the bathroom floor than Stiles and she was sure Isaac too. And with that thought she poured a couple glasses of water and went to take care of the boys. Stiles threw a pillow at her so weakly that is landed a foot in front of her and she sighed putting the water and a couple of aspirin by the bed before headed to the bathroom. The door was still wide open and Isaac was still curled up on the floor looking so miserable that she couldn't bring herself to taunt him. She knelt next to him and slowly pulled him into a sitting position. He blinked blurry at her and she opened her mouth telling him to do the same and plopped the aspirin in before handing him the cup. He drank it slowly wincing ever twenty seconds or so and she sighed sitting in front of him. "What I don't get," she started, "is why you let yourself get so messed up when you don't even want to." He just blinked at her and she rolled her eyes pulling him up with her and leading him to the kitchen. It took longer to get Stiles up but eventually he was glaring unhappily down at his smiley face pancakes while she sipped tentatively at her tea watching them. She tried not to smile but failed miserably seeing how pitiful the pare of them were acting. 

"What are you smirking about?" Stiles asked after a while and she she shrugged. 

"No fun being on the other side." She giggled and he snapped at her. 

"Like you would know." He whipped harshly and her smile left. She got up and marched into her room, slamming the door as Stiles whined, "Lydia..." after her.

 

They were still at the table after she changed and pulled her shoes on. "Where are you going?" Stiles asked but she was still irked from earlier.

"Out." She told him pulling on her jacket and grabbing her purse. "You do the dishes." She told him shutting the door behind her.

 

"Am I really that bad?" She asked hatting how whiny she sounded but knowing if there was any place to be whiny it was with Allison. She watched as her best friend scrunched up her face and her stomach dropped. "Why didn't you say anything before!?" She demanded and Allison made a desperate little noise and turned to Scott who was willing himself not to look at them. 

"Well... you know how you get! " she told her. "One little thing bad and you seek out the next worse thing to make it go away!" She started to protest but stopped. Did she really do that? Allison frown and put her hand on hers. "Hey, look we all love you. And maybe this is a little over due. But this isn't an intervention here Lid, we just want you to take care of yourself." She forced a smile at that knowing that was what they wanted to see. 

"Yeah... maybe." She told her and the brunette sighed with relief.

 

The phone rang twice before anyone picked up and even then it was just Jackson's assistant. It felt like she spent more time talking to her than to Jackson himself. "Oh hey Lydia," she said sweetly making her feel back for being so disappointed. "Do you want me to get him a message?" 

"No." She said reaching her apartment door and pulling out her keys. "Just let him know I called." She let herself in trying not to be upset and saw Isaac standing in the kitchen running her pancake pan through soapy water. She raised her brow at him and hooked her purse up on the coat wrack. 

"Stiles is sleeping." He told her, "He felt really bad after you left..." she nodded and sat down hard on the couch. He shut off the sink and walked over to her. "Are you okay?" He asked and she blinked at him. 

"I'm just having one of those days where you are realize that all of your friends look at you as a liability." She told him and he pursed his lips. "And Jackson is..." she sighed. "Just Jackson... I just." She blew out a hot breath, "Maybe I need to reevaluate some of my life choices."

\--

"Believe me, you could be making worse." he thought back to his dad. It had taken a lot to get him out of every action he did, but he was gone now. Thinking about him didn't hurt, they were just facts. He wondered how she would react. How much she needed to be shocked into change, or if she could do it on her own. She was raising an eyebrow in question. He'd been staring at her for too long. "My dad used to get drunk and beat us. One night he hit Camden so hard he didn't wake up until morning. I'd shoved him away when he didn't stop after he fell and earned a broken arm." He took a deep breath and shrugged. "One morning he didn't wake up. He's why I don't drink often. The only thing I still fear about him is that I'll end up like him. So believe me when I say you could be worse." Lydia was staring at him. "I think I'm going to throw up," he mumbled running for the restroom as his stomach flipped. The pancakes had tasted so good it felt like a crime to be flushing them down the toilet. He brushed his teeth with his finger and some toothpaste and felt more awake from just that than he had all morning. 

"Isaac?" Lydia was standing in Stiles' doorway when he got out. "Thanks." He nodded. Not completely sure what he was being thanked for.

\--

She held the pliers in her mouth while she wound the end of her new string around the spoke at the top of the neck. Her high E kept breaking. Stiles kept telling her she was playing it too hard but she couldn't help it, she felt so tense. It had only been two weeks since she decided to sober up but already she was feeling the strain. She hadn't realized that it had been such a big part of her nights until she was made to spend them alone. "You never want to do anything fun anymore." Jackson told her when he'd stumbled into the apartment high off his ass as a 'surprise' trying to get her to go to some party. "I don't want to have fun if I can't remember it tomorrow." She told him before he crushed his lips to hers and she shoved him back hard. "You taste like weed." She hissed marching to the door. "Babe..." he groaned but she just opened it and he sighed walking just outside. " Last chanc-" she figured that shutting the door on his face was enough of an answer but her phone kept vibrating on her bedside table where she refused to look at it lighting up with his stupid face. She twirled the string until it was tight and cut off the end maybe more aggressively than was necessary. Stiles peaked into the doorway. 

"Hey." He said quietly and she grunted back at him. They hadn't spoken much since their fight, both of them too proud to present much of an apology but as soon as Stiles realized her social renovation he'd seemed to give up his anger. "I'm going to Derek's... you okay by yourself?" He asked. 

"Always am." She said quickly and looked up at him. He nodded slowly and pursed his lips. 

"See you later then." He told her and she managed a stiff smile and a little wave. It wasn't much. But it was at least a start.

 

She showered longer than she meant to singing loud little bits of random things she didn't know what to do with but enjoying them. She dried off running the towel through her hair when she opened the door and screeched when she realized the Isaac was in the living room. She scrambled to pull the towel over her and rush back into the bathroom over him throwing his hands over his eyes and yelling, "Sorry!" Over and over. Once she got her heart to stop beating erratically she wrapped the towel firmly around her and marched back out. 

"What are you doing here?" She demanded and he held up his hands in defense his eyes still screwed shut. 

"Peer pressure? " he offered and she crossed her arms. "Stiles gave me his key." He admitted after the silence, "practically begged me to get you out of the house before you die here." She pursed her lips. He cracked his eyes open and she tried to stay miffed but he had put on a suit and done his hair and she couldn't help but wonder. 

"What did you have in mind?"

\--

"You can say no, but I kind of won this award. It's stupid, but they still want me to... And since you were in the picture and Derek refuses to be my date because his leg is in a cast, Cora looks like my little sister, that's just sad, and Laura is on the other side of the country it's kind of just you." he looked up at her and she was frowning. "Why do you let me ramble? Would you like to be my date to a banquet where their honoring me with a silly little statue?" He adjusted his tie. "I could use someone to make me not feel like I'm a kid at prom." She cocked her head at him. 

"Was your school on tv? No one looks this good at prom." she said with a smirk as she straightened his tie. "You're lucky you came to the queen of fancy dresses." She spun and walked off. He busied himself in the kitchen and was organizing their silverware drawer when he heard the heels clacking across the hardwood floor. "Tada?" he knew this had been a bad idea. She looked stunning. Her hair was curling down one side of her neck like golden age Hollywood. The sapphire dress slinked and shined and he couldn't figure out where to look. 

"Wow." he sighed. He cringed and she laughed. 

"When does this thing start?" 

He looked at his watch, then the clock. "7?" she nodded. 

"Let's go then. We have people to impress." they were already on their way when Lydia tapped his hand. "You said I'm in the picture?" 

He nodded. "Remember when it rained?" 

He could see the little knot form in her brow as she thought about it. "Yeah." 

He shrugged at a light. "It's those. You'll have to wait and see." The event was small. The award wasn't anything big, just some local group, but Derek had already given him the lecture that an award is an award. Its a big deal. He felt like a moron. There were a few photographers out front, it was kind of funny since almost all of the people being awarded that night were photographers. But there it was. The flashes started as soon as Lydia's foot hit the carpet. He stepped back but she tucked her hand into his elbow and refused to let go. There was a single newspaper waiting at the entrance. 

"How does it feel?" he looked around at the cameras still trained on them. 

"Surreal." a few more questions followed and then the reporter turned to Lydia. 

She smiled. "Have you seen it? He won't tell me." 

The reporter chuckled. "Take a few steps in and see for yourself." Lydia dragged him in and the walls of the entry way were lined with easels holding prints of the honored photos. He went through each of them. Lydia patiently moving with him when all she wanted was to see his. He'd seen it from the doorway and knew it was at the end near the door. He was hoping they'd be called in before he had to watch her look at it. 

 

They stepped in front of his canvas and he was back in the rain tucking a stray curl behind her ear. There were spots of rain on the lens, but the sunset was still bright behind her. But it was the way she looked at the camera that had made him snap the photo and the reason why he had been furious at whoever sent it in. The Hale siblings still wouldn't let him know who had done it. He had wanted that look to be for him, to be something he could look at an pretend he got to see everyday and not just in a click of the shutter. One of the editors from the magazine tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to a few people a few pictures down. "Are you okay?" he asked Lydia nodding to where he was being summoned. She nodded and her eyes flicked up to him before going back to the photo. 

 

They kept him busy until it was time to take their seats. He walked with Lydia, his hands trembling as they got closer and closer to the stage. He was behind the scenes. He'd never wanted to be anywhere else. The stage was not where he belonged. The trembling in his hands stopped when they sat down, but his knees took over. Lydia's hand slid over his leg. "It'll be okay. A few steps a few words then you're back here." he nodded and held onto her fingers as they got closer to him. 

\--

His hand was freezing. She pulled it into her lap and slid her other over it as well. He stopped shaking as she rubbed her palm into the back of his hand for friction and she looked over at him. He was staring at her with the most curious expression. And for the first time she noticed just how blue his eyes were. "Maybe we should-" she started when a spot light hit them and and the crowd erupted into applause that they hadn't heard the introduction to. She grinned and kissed his cheek while the press snapped a picture whispering for him to stand up as he stumbled out of the chair and up onto the stage. He was adorable fumbling through the the speech he obviously hadn't thought he was going to have to say. She was surprised to hear her name in it. He called her a muse, beautiful. "Oh no." She mumbled when he finally looked away from her. Her heart was pounding. She couldn't like Isaac. She would be nothing but trouble for him and she was almost positive that he couldn't handle that. "That wasn't so bad." She told him and he huffed out a heavy air. 

"That was the most terrifying thing I've ever done." He told her and the glare he gave her when she laughed made her heart clench.

 

"You're being weird." Stiles accused while she plucked randomly at her electric in full concert gear except for her house slippers. He sat back on the couch ready to get going to the award show they were playing but they still had some time and she couldn't get this song out of her head. 

"I'm always weird." She told him. 

"That's true." Derek called from the kitchen and she stuck her tongue out at him. He grinned toothily at her. As much as she hated to admit it Derek was growing on her and she could tell by the way Stiles looked at him that something serious. She hated herself for being jealous. 

"What's up?" Stiles asked. "I have words stuck in my head but non of them make sense." she told him and he grinned at her. 

"Just sing it. If it sucks I'll fix it like I always do." She rolled her eyes at him but she did feel better when she got it out.

 

"Let's get this out first take okay?" Laura grinned at her from the booth and she gripped her acoustic tight with her left hand. It had been a long time since she had done anything by herself. 

But the band was screaming encouragement from the window. She took a deep breath and started the strum, starting out soft and spaced before becoming a filling compression. "I can't see you, but I know you're here. You're evereeeeywhere. I can't hear you but I know you're near... You whisper in my-ear. I'm reeeeaching for yoooour haaaaiiiaa-an-and. Come teach me hooooow... to stand. Theese sheets haunt me- Fight fir self cooooontrol! I'm breathing on my oooo-owow-ooo-own. Can't sleep when you're not home."

\--

"Who was that?" Stiles asked poking him hard. Derek was still staring where the girl had gone a look of horror on his face. 

"That was- You aren't." Derek finally said turning back. Stiles looked flustered wanting to know the secret. 

"I'm not. I'm just helping her out. Head shots and all that." Derek was still staring at him like he'd grown a second head. 

"Will one of you tell me who she is and what you aren't doing?" Derek turned from him sharply and looked at Stiles with a fake smile. 

"That's Isaac's ex. As in that one ex that fucks you over for all the rest. Bitch didn't even come to his brothers funeral. Cheated on him. Took his lab partner to prom. All wonderful things to show him how much she loved him." he turned to him. "If you're sleeping with her I swear I'll cut your dick off." 

Stiles barked out a laugh. "So I'm not letting you watch Shameless anymore. Watch your language." 

Derek turned to Stiles. "I wasn't joking. I'd cut it off." 

Stiles turned to him. "She looked like more was happening than just head shots." 

He shrugged. Nothing more had happened. "It didn't. But if it did its not like it matters. I need to get over Lydia. Its never going to happen. Time to cut my losses." He watched as Stiles deflated. He had spouted about double dates and had looked so excited after the award show. But there was nothing for him to be excited about. Lydia would never like him.

 

"You shouldn't date someone you work with." Derek said frowning. 

"You shouldn't date someone your best friend works with either but look at you." he waved to the window. 

"She is going to get the wrong idea." he raised an eyebrow. 

"Really? What idea? That I like her. Maybe that's exactly the idea that I want her to get. Cause I do." Derek frowned and shifted his stance. "I don't get why you two are so against this. Erica's nice and when I talk to her about cameras she actually listens. Plus it's just a date. I'm not eloping."

\--

"Can we leave yet?" She asked as soon as they got to the party. Allison had finally gotten her out of the house even after she whined about how she was hiding from her feelings and didn't want them too catch up with her but she didn't care. Allison had had it with her social reclusive ways and smacked some makeup in her so that they could go to the biggest party of the year. 

"No." She told her, "Now drink something and dance with me damnit." Lydia groaned but obliged her taking the cocktail that the bartender offered and sipped it timidly. It wasn't bad but it wasn't good either. She was still on her first when Allison had her second and pulled her onto the dance floor. The dancing was fun. The room was crowded and everyone was pressed into each other, lights strobing all around them. She grinned and lifted her hands into the air but they were caught and slid all the way down her body. She jerked away and spun around to find Jackson grinning at her. To any one further away he looked absolutely fine. But from up close she could smell the whisky and see the dilation of his eyes and she didn't like it. 

"Don't touch me." She told him and turned to her best friend. 

"Bathroom." She mouthed at Allison who nodded still lost in the music. She snuck away. The bathroom was thankfully and surprisingly empty. She shut the door and walked over to the sink. Her makeup was smeared from sweat and her eyes were bigger than normal. She shouldn't have come she knew that. She should have known that Jackson would be here but it was too late now. She cleaned herself up and made her way back to the door when it was pushed open and he was in the doorway. Jackson frown at her and she crossed her arms waiting for him to move. "Excuse me," she muttered trying to slip past him but he caught her and pressed her into the wall. 

"I've been calling you." He told her his lips pressed into her ear. They moved down to her neck, dangerously close to her collar bone. 

"I know." She told him trying to push him off but he was too heavy. Her heart quickened. 

"You don't answer." His frown was heavier now. 

"I didn't want to." She told him sternly hoping that he would get that and let her go but he was staring at her lips, his eyes too far gone. She kicked him hard in the shin watching him hit the floor with a groan. 

"You bitch." He called her grabbing at her heal as she ran past and pulling her down. The fall knocked the wind out of her scrambling her thoughts for just a moment. But they were back when he was crawling over her. She struggled to turn over and slapped him hard across the face. But he didn't like that. The fist hit her square in the eye and everything was colorful for a minute as she lay there dazed feeling her dress being pulled up. 

"No." She mumbled reaching for her voice. "No." She said again and again until she was screeching. 

"Shut up!" He hissed at her with a hand over her mouth but he'd forgotten to lock the bathroom door and it he was being yanked off of her in seconds. Allison scrambled over to her with some blond girl, helping her sit up but that made her dizzy. Isaac was there. And Scott. She didn't know how but they were in front of her and he was moving her head gently from side to side. 

She winced and he stiffened. "I'm going to kill him." He grunted. 

"No you aren't. " Scott told him, "we're going to get her out of here. His eyes were hard looking at her and hers were watering harder with every second, that seemed to soften him. He wordlessly scooped her off the ground and carried her back through the room no one was dancing now they were all watching. She hid in his shirt hastily wiping at her face. She knew that she should have stayed in that night. But if she had she wouldn't have been here in these arms feeling safer than she had in a long time.

 

They didn't go back to her place. Stiles wasn't there and Isaac didn't want to leave her alone. So instead she was forced to sit awkwardly in the front seat with Isaac while the blond fumed in the back of the car. She slammed the door when she left and Isaac rolled his eyes and got out quickly. She said a few hushed angry words and he kissed her cheek tersely before getting back in the car and driving off. "You were on a date." She said softly it was the first thing that she had said since the club. 

He nodded pursing his lips. "Yeah." He admitted and she ran a hand through her hair not sure why that was trying to make her cry but she could feel the knot welled up in her throat. 

"I'm sorry." She told him trying to talk over in and he frown reaching over to her. 

"Nothing to apologize for." He told her quietly and she nodded not quite believing him.

 

The apartment was quiet when they got there Stiles and Derek both asleep sitting up on the couch probably waiting for them to get back. "I don't want to wake them." She told Isaac and he nodded grabbing her hand and leading her to his bed room. He pulled out a t-shirt for her to borrow and some old sweat pants that looked twice her size. He helped her out of her heals and unzipped her dress, turning his back so she could change she did as quickly as she could but the shirt got stuck in her hair. Strong hands helped her pull it down and she turned to find him frowning at her. They didn't say anything he just touched her face where Jackson had hit her, the bruise growing where she had wiped off her make up. "Sorry I ruined your date." She told him. 

He shook his head. "You didn't." He told her and she closed her eyes leaning into his touch. They stood like that a few minutes, close and caring until he cleared his throat and pulled back. 

"You can take my bed. I'll go kick the guys off the couch-" 

"Don't be stupid. " she told him climbing into his comforter and pulling it up around her. "We've shared a bed before. We're adults." She reminded him and he smirked falling down next to her. 

"Don't take advantage of me." He warned her and she held up her hands. They lay there for a bit and she watched him surprised to find him watching her back. 

"Is cuddling taking advantage of?" She asked softly and he shook his head. She scooted closer to him, tucking her head onto his shoulder and wrapping herself around him. His warmth knocked all of the cold right out of her. She fell asleep almost instantly.

\--

"I'm going to kill him. No wait. I'm going to frame him for murder that way he'll be alive to suffer behind bars for the rest of his life. I can do it. You know I can." he blinked at the ceiling. 

"I know you can," Derek replied. Stiles' whine was muffled. He looked down at Lydia who was still asleep on his chest. Derek and Stiles continued talking, but they weren't right outside the door anymore. So last night wasn't some strange dream. It really happened. Lydia's eye was dark and he didn't think it was a shadow. His anger flared and he had to focus on not going out and joining Stiles in his plan to frame Jackson. It was a conscious effort. 

"Isaac stop it." Lydia grumbled shifting so she was even closer her foot sliding under his knee as she tangled their legs. 

He wasn't doing anything. "Go back to sleep." her lips touched the corner of his and his mind flickered. She didn't mean to do that. She wasn't awake. She was still asleep. Her sleep wracked mind had confused him for someone else. Her hand slid across his chest and up into his hair. He didn't dare move. If he woke her up, she'd yell at him. If he didn't wake her up and she woke up on her own wrapped around him like this she'd definitely yell at him. He pulled her hand back down and slid out from under her. She whined but pulled the pillow closer and fell back to sleep. He stared down at her for a few seconds before heading out to face the world. The world consisted of Stiles fuming in the kitchen and Derek sitting at the table with a laptop. 

Derek looked up at him. "How is she?" 

He shrugged. "Asleep." 

Stiles stopped pacing for a second. "How hard do you think it would be to get a dead body?" he shrugged. 

"You're in the news. Has the Banshee finally found her knight in shining armor?" Derek said turning the screen so he could see. It was a picture of him carrying Lydia out of the party. "The police told Scott and Allison that she has to press charges. Everyone knows what happened though. There are over a dozen different sources from the party saying what they saw." Derek clicked on another article and he frowned. "Apparently some of the guys at the party decided they didn't like what he did." it was a picture of Jackson's mug shot. 

He looked plastered and half of his face was swollen and he had blood on his face and mouth. "Close all that. If she wants to see it we'll show her, but let her ask." he said and Derek shut his laptop. 

Stiles had stopped and was leaning against the counter. "I should have been there." 

He shook his head. "It wouldn't have changed anything." 

 

He heard his phone ringing. He slipped back in and stole it from the bedside table as Lydia started to toss and turn. "Hello?" there was a second of silence. 

"I don't think we should date anymore." 

He sighed. He'd been dreading this call but he knew it was coming. "I'm sorry," he offered. 

She sighed. "Don't be. You know we're better as friends. Plus it's hard to date someone when you want them to date someone else." 

He snorted. "What?" 

She chuckled softly. "I've wanted you and Lydia to get together since we first worked together." he didn't know what to say to that. "I'm sorry I was so mean last night. I was a little drunk." 

"Don't worry about it. I ruined our date." it had been going down hill from the moment they walked into that party and he saw Lydia there. 

"Maybe, but it's not your fault. I've got to go. I have a shoot to manage for some lazy photographer." he smiled and they said their goodbyes. 

 

"I can show you," he offered. Lydia had been flipping through the yellow pages looking for a self defense class. She kept going on about how weak she was. He didn't think so. But he'd help her. "My brother taught me all his military stuff. He wanted someone to spar with." 

She looked up at him. "Would you? I'd rather not have to pay for private lessons." she had been trying to find a private teacher because she didn't want people watching her. 

He nodded. "Come over tomorrow and we can get started. I have to go up to the office tonight and get some paperwork done." 

She closed the phone book. "Deal. I'm going to kick your ass." 

He nodded. "Right."

 

Lydia growled from her back on the mat. "You were supposed to move." 

He shrugged. "You didn't have the grip right." She nodded. "Come here." he helped her up and they faced off again. She'd gotten bored with the basics and decided she wanted to know all the advanced stuff he knew. It had been fun to watch her try to flip him. She nodded and he moved forward quickly. She ducked and caught his arm. He had a second to take a breath before he was flipped and her knees were on his shoulders. He laughed as he tried to catch his breath. "That was good."

She pushed herself up. "It didn't feel right." 

He sat up. "You want to do it again don't you?" she grinned and pulled her hair back. He climbed back to his feet and hopped a bit as he loosened up. He didn't wait for her to nod. He pat her on her stomach marking a hit. She dodged the tap to her face. He barely dodged her foot. He went for another hit to her stomach, she didn't guard it well. But she was waiting for that because she caught his arm and he hit the mat hard. She was straddling his chest, one of her knees had slid off his shoulder as she landed. She looked down at him eyes wild and hair alive. He wasn't sure who moved first, but their lips clashed. He bit her lip. She moved down his chest. He found her hips. She tugged at his hair. They panted shared breaths when their mouths separated, her head resting on his. He laughed a little high and manic sounding. She joined him a little bit and kissed him softly.

\--

She felt exhilarated still breathing heavily as she rolled off of him so they were laying next to each other on the mat. She peaked over at him shyly and his eyes found her with a massive grin and all at once they broke down into a complete fit of laughter and was broken when they crashed into each other again. He was like an addiction she didn't know that she had access too. Everything about him was so new and so much better than she had imagined. His breath was hot and tasted like spearmint and black tea, an oddly good combination that made her feel self conscious knowing that she must taste like cough drops, and not even the good ones. But obviously Isaac didn't care by the way he was kissing her. And kissing her. Kissing her in that way that made her forget that she had ever kissed another person in her life because surely other kisses couldn't feel this good. The back of his neck was sweaty when her hand slid up into his curly hair hooking into in like a safety net to keep herself grounded. Do not have sex with Isaac, she told herself firmly not wanting to ruin this. But his hand ran rough down her pulling her leg up at the knee and hooking it around him. She pulled at her leg pressing up into him and he groaned, his eyes fluttering open to look down at her, dark rings taking her in through heavy lids. It was probably the sexiest thing she had ever seen in her life. Do not have sex with Isaac, she told herself yet again. Not yet, not here and for this reason. But they were kissing again. She was kissing him, biting at his pulse until he moaned loud enough to make her move on but when she was moving down they heard the key in the door and he rolled off of her and they lay there attempting to look innocent when Derek walked in the door. He didn't even blink at their position. "How'd the self defense going?" He asked putting his bags down on the table and Lydia grinned. 

"I think I gave him a good work out." She told him and they both fell into hysterical laughter again.

 

The only problem that came from kissing Isaac was being aware of how close his lips were to hers at all times. It got worse the closer that they got. And even worse when he smiled. At her. Little secret smiles from behind his camera, his eyes hidden to her. "Just a little to the left." He told her and she tried to hide her discomfort. They were shooting for the new album cover and lyric book and the producers thought it would be a really great idea to put them on a fabricated mountain top. Everything was made out of ice and snow and she was in nothing but scraps of fur and a guitar strap. 

Isaac called cut and she let out a shiver hugging herself until Stiles came up and hugged her from behind. "God how are you so warm?" She demanded gripping at his warmth. 

"How're you so cooooold?" He whined trying to let go of her but she growled at him. 

Isaac came up to them and she let Stiles step back. "Almost done." He told her putting a stray hair out of her face and tucking it back into the main they had given her. 

"Then we do solo shots?" She pouted and he grinned. 

"The better you are the faster we finish." 

She smirked at him. "Baby, you don't want to know how good I can be." She winked at him getting back into place counting each step that took their lips further away from each other.

\--

He hadn't told anyone. He had meant to, but Derek had started talking about his rehab and he'd let himself get distracted. He was sure someone would notice. He had never been good at hiding things. Hiding good things. He could absorb all the bad and stuff them down so far where sometimes when he looked in the mirror even he couldn't see it. Stiles looked at the hole. "I'm what?" he asked again. 

He sighed. "Pulling yourself out." he sighed and stepped closer. "I don't know dude. I have no control over this one." 

Stiles shrugged and hopped down into the hole. "at least its round. I don't want to feel like I'm dying." 

He laughed. "Save that for later when Derek finds out you erased his show." 

Stiles peaked up over the edge. "You told him?!" 

He grinned and snapped the picture. "He was yelling at me. Motivation. Derek's in that hole about to strangle you with his brace. What do you do?" 

Stiles glanced down. "I toss you in here and run." He laughed and got comfortable on the ground. Stiles' shot went by fast. He actually liked some of the pictures, although Stiles looked ridiculous in motion. 

Allison swayed on the swing. "You can make it so I don't look fat right?" 

He frowned. "you don't look fat." She nodded and pat her stomach. "Scott keeps telling me, but it shows up in pictures." 

He spun her around. "I promise you won't look fat. And being pregnant is different than fat." 

She shrugged. "This early it is the same thing. I'll believe you when I look like I'm smuggling watermelons." 

She swung slowly enough to move her hair in the wind. He swayed with her movements and loved every picture. "We're done." 

She hopped off the swing. "Try not to drown him. He's really nervous." He walked over to Scott who was looking at the water tank. 

He tapped the glass a few times. "How am I the only one that can keep his eyes open under water?" Scott mumbled. 

He shrugged. "You'll do great." Scott climbed up the ladder and slipped in. His outfit matched Stiles' but it looked different in the water. He waited until he was calmly submerged and the medic was ready before snapping the test shots. It was stressful getting as many as he could in the little time he had. He didn't want to take too long. Scott held onto the edge and took a few deep breaths. "Dive down?" Scott nodded and sucked in air. He was glad he'd offered that because the photo was better than the rest and he was sure this was it. "That was it." he gave Scott a soggy high five and dumped the photos onto the drive before they called him for Lydia's.

 

"I shouldn't have complained about the ice." Lydia said softly where she stood next to them as the technicians got the flames roaring. 

"Just remember not to get too close and you'll be fine." he touched the stray ends of her mass of wild curls. Her hair would look alive in front of the camera. He could imagine the pictures before he'd even touched the camera. Finally things were coming together. He could see where the elements came into play and Lydia's fire would complete the set. 

"Promise to save me?" she asked. 

"Like you need someone to save you," he replied grabbing his camera when the crew stepped back. "So show me how good you can be. I'd like to get out of here before taco bell is the only place open." She smiled at him and tossed the jacket she'd been given after the ice away. His frames went quickly. He hadn't seen the one yet. They were gorgeous photos, but it just didn't feel like the rest. Stiles had been pulling himself out muscles working against the pull of the earth, Scotts was him surging forward through the water like it didn't exist, little bubbles if air flowing behind him. Allison had a few where she was pushing herself on the swing and more where she'd reached the top and the whole world just stopped as she floated for that second before restarting and sending her flying toward the ground. Lydia's were lacking and not for anything she did. The flames were too much to work with. She couldn't interact with them like the rest could. Her eyes darted across the crew still there when the hour passed midnight. He lowered his camera and stepped close. "Pretend it's just me. We're out in the woods again. No one else is around." She looked up at him and nodded. "Ok. Let's get this done. I want to see if you can make eating tacos appealing." Her laugh seemed to release the last of the tension that the long shoot had brought. He had them lower the flames. They were growing to high, making it hard to differentiate between her and them. He moved around and eventually found the right angle. Her eyes tracked him though she didn't always follow him with her body. She smiled over her shoulder at him, hair swung across the other. He snapped the picture, something making the flames flare off to one side so it looked as if she was in control of them. The only problem was that smile was not something he wanted out for everyone to see. He was certain that smiled had been for him. She moved around more and the flames danced. He stumbled over one of the lamps and she laughed. He loved the picture, her head tossed back flames soaring up to with her hands as they moved to cover her mouth. He let her laugh. "I think we have a few good ones." there were a few he liked. He was tempted to take the smile out of the mix and keep that just for himself, but he let it stay. He was still flipping through her reel when she came back in sweats and a hoodie from their high school track team. He was pretty sure that was Stiles'. He'd seen it in the laundry at the house. 

"Taco bell?" She asked with a grin. 

He closed the program and made sure everything was finished before nodding. "I bet you wished we did the ice last." 

She shrugged. "It's cold outside, so I don't think this is so bad." She wasn't joking. The wind made the night air biting as it raced through his shirt. They walked quickly to the car Lydia had rented and he was pretty sure she was going to end up buying.

 

"Did you make me go last so it would just be us?" 

He grinned into his taco. "I might have, if I had the choice. They wanted there to be less people when the fire was up and running in case something happened." 

She laughed a little bit. "I'm going with the you wanted to get me alone reason." He heard a shutter and turned. The restaurant was empty except for the workers. He'd been grateful for that. 

"What?" she asked her eyes following his. 

He waved her off. "I'm hearing things." 

She took his hand as they headed out to the car. "It's cold," she mumbled. 

He pulled her closer and wrapped his arm around her. "You shouldn't have parked so far away." he grumbled. 

She fumbled for her keys. "I didn't want it to get scratched."

 

"Do you wanna stay at my place?" Lydia asked. "It's late you shouldn't drive home." he hesitated. It wouldn't be until almost three when he got home. He nodded with a shrug. What harm would it do? 

\--

She unlocked the door and pushed it open rather ungracefully with her boot. Isaac followed her in looking just about dead on his feet and she closed the door after him, pulling his jacket off. "Get in bed." She told him throwing her own jacket on the back of the couch. "I've got to shower off the sweat and mascara." She mad a face but he grinned and kissed her not putting up much of a fight. The hot water felt amazing on her back and she stayed in there a little longer than she really needed too singing Willy Wonka songs to herself with the shower head as a microphone. She towel dried her hair the best she could and put it up in a knot on top of her head pulling out her contacts and grabbing her glasses. She wrapped the towel around her and stepped into the cool hall air making her lotion-ed legs feel all tingly. Isaac was already asleep when she walked into the room looking like he had tried to stay awake till she got there, still on top of the covers with his head just slightly to the side. She grinned and went to her underwear drawer pulling out a white and blue striped pair with hello sailor on the butt. She dropped the towel and pulled an old Zeppelin tshirt out of her closet pulling it over her head. The neck was a little stretched out and hung off her shoulder but she had had the thing since she was seventeen so she couldn't complain. Then she turned back to her bed. She smiled fondly getting on top of the covers with him, she was still hot from the flames and she wondered if she would ever cool down. She slid easily into him, laying her head on his shoulder and lacing her leg through his. She should have told him to strip down too. But even fully clothed he was the most comfortable place she'd ever been.

 

The phone wouldn't stop ringing and she was so close to throwing it out of the window that it wasn't funny. She groaned and leaned over Isaac to grab at it. "Hello?" She yawned groggily wondering what time it was on their planet. 

"Lydia?" Derek seemed surprised and she blinked the sleep out of her eyes to see that she had picked up Isaac's phone. 

"Oh...uh...hey?" She tried to at least seem guilty but was actually secretly pleased that they had finally been caught. She'd wanted to tell everyone for weeks but it just never seemed like the right time with the album getting picked up and the baby. 

"Is Isaac with you?" He asked and she looked down at the boy who's chest she was occupying and tried not to grin at how adorable he was sleeping. 

"It's possible." she told him and Derek barked out a laugh. 

"I knew it. I told you." He said away from the phone. "Well you might want to turn on E network. Looks like your headlining again. She frown and propped the phone up against Isaac's ear and grabbed her remote turning on the tv. She usually made it a point to never watch E but at least the people on there were nice enough. Sure enough there they were in the parking lot of taco bell holding hands and then kissing right outside her house. 

"Babe," she said softly squeezing his foot from where she sat at the end of the bed. He was already slightly awake from what Derek was saying to him but her voice seemed to pull him up. "Looks like we've been caught." She told him trying to gauge his reaction but he just slipped into the spot next to her and put his arm around her waste frowning at the tv. 

"Those are terrible photos." He told her, "you would think that they were trying to make you look bad. I guess no one told them that's impossible. " he said so easily that she grinned and kissed him. He tasted like mountain dew and it made giggled and push him off. "Go brush your teeth so I can sex you up!" He did at he was commanded his eyes bright when he left the room. 

 

She was on the phone with Allison when he got out of the bathroom, sitting on the counter with a cup of tea between her legs. "Now I owe Scott 40 bucks." She complained her pregnant mood swings getting the better of her. "I just can't believe you didn't tell me!" 

"I'm sorry!" She said for the hundredth time her eyes meeting Isaac's were he was watching her across the room. She blew on her cup and listened to Allison vent while he disappeared into her room and came back out with an old Polaroid camera pointed right at her. "I'm going to have to call you back." She told her hanging up and giving Isaac a serious look. "What do you think you're doing?" She asked. She'd let her hair down and it was in crazy little tangles, huge glasses still on her face. It was crazy how comfortable she was with him but she wasn't read to have it in print yet. 

"Documenting your first official day as my girlfriend." She scowled at him and he snapped a picture making her frown more. 

"Staaawwwwp!" She whined but was also laughing cause he was too fucking cute and she hated it. He took pictures every few steps until he was right in front of her and she grabbed the damn thing out of his hands with the photos he'd collected and groaned. "Theses are so not cute." She laughed and he grinned at her. 

"You're always cute." He told her and she rolled her eyes. 

"You're always blind." She said right back but when she looked up he didn't look blind. He looked like a blond Adoness who was about ready to capture his damsel. She lifted the Polaroid and snapped a picture of it. "This one is for me." She told him softly before he moved the camera and her tea to the side and their mouths connected. Her hands ran up his arms that were on either side of her sculpting out the hard frame of his mussels laughing when he flexed to appease her but he swallowed it, bringing his hand up into her hair to hold her in place. They were sweet kisses with a heavy edge, his teeth nipping at her bottom lip when they felt it overstepped its boundaries. She had become accustomed to kissing Isaac but not like this. This held the promise of more and she intended to take that. Her arms wound around his neck and his hands ran drown her back gripping under her legs that she was now so glad she'd shaved the night before. She gasped and wrapped her legs around his waist as he picked her off the counter like she didn't weigh a damn thing. They tried to make it to the bedroom but she'd started kissing his neck in the living room so the couch was as far as they got. He climbed over her and she pulled at his shirt until it was in the floor, hers following shortly after. He took a moment to stare at her and she continued biting limes down his neck. She was so addicted to the noise he made when she got to his collar bone that she decided that she would live the rest of her life with her lips to it. He rolled his lips into her, breaking her concentration. "Fuuuuck." She hissed. 

"Okay." He breathed into her ear and she laughed again until his hand slipped into the only clothing she had left. He had long fingers. Soon they were on the floor with their shirts and his pants were coming off he was pealing off his underwear when she curse and he blinked at her. "What?" He asked. 

"Do you have a condom? " she asked and he paused a little frown on his face. 

"Ummm..." 

"Hold on." She told him and rolled out from under him rushing into Stiles room. There was a pack in his drawer unopened. She figured that he would forgive her. She ran back out beaming. 

Isaac grinned, "Remind me to thank Stiles." He told her and she threw the pack at him. 

"Shut up and put that on." She told him. He rolled onto his back and she watched the funny little face he made as he rolled it on. They took a moment to look at each other, a small moment of recognition that this would change things and they would be okay with that. She leaned in and kissed him, a soft loving careful kiss before she rocked back and stole him.

\--

It had been too long. Too long and Lydia was too much. He fought to keep control, but just as she cried out that she was almost there with the most beautiful expression on her face he came hips stuttering to a stop. He flipped her over and ignored the complaint when he slid out for the surprised shriek of his mouth finding her. He smiled against her thigh as she let the whole world know he loved her. He kissed his way back up to the pillow and she turned to him looking lost. There were no words. He couldn't imagine interrupting this moment. He curled his arm under her and she curled onto his shoulder. They laid there, he slowly traced patterns on the skin of her shoulder. "Wanna go again?" Lydia asked, grinning as she peaked her head up. 

"Do you even have to ask?" he nodded down and she laughed. 

 

Somehow they made it to a bed. Stiles' bed. He wasn't sure how that happened, but he could smell Derek's aftershave and knew that Stiles had stolen a bottle a few weeks back. Lydia was spread across his lap horizontal on the bed. 

"You think we moved to fast?" 

He laughed loving the way her hand ran across his skin as he did. "No. We're moving just right." 

She nodded. "I tend to speed." 

He pulled on a curl. "I'm aware. But where we're going there ain't no speed limits." 

Lydia burst out laughing and sat up. "That was bad." he pulled her down. "It was so bad," she insisted through kisses.

 

He smiled up at Lydia where she was perched on his chest, her sheet pulled over them so they were in their own little tent. "My high school boyfriend. He was in a band. I thought he was the coolest thing. They didn't even have a drummer. He lasted five seconds and I don't even think I felt anything. It was bad, but at the time I was in love and it was perfection." she smiled a small smile. "Your turn." 

He played with her fingers. "It was this girl I'd known since kindergarten. She was trying to get back at her ex. I didn't know that until a week later when he kicked the crap out of me. We were in the backseat of her moms car in their garage. Not the best situation." 

She kissed him. "Only can go up from there," she said. He nodded with a shrug. 

"What the heck?!" Stiles screeched. 

Lydia ducked down and giggled. "We're safe under the protection of our tent." she insisted. 

He wrapped his arms around her. "I'm tossing you and running if he opens that door." Lydia slapped him with a laugh. 

 

Derek gave him a half smile when he walked into he kitchen. He hadn't wanted to get out of bed. "Five years," he mumbled. 

Derek slid over the plate. "Five years." he replied back sitting down. 

Across from him. "Laura coming over?" 

Derek shrugged. "She hasn't said. I think Cora might drag her over. We can all get drunk and watch Die Hard." 

He nodded. "I'm gonna run down to the base. If Lydia calls, just tell her... I don't know. I just need a day." 

Derek frowned. "Why haven't you told her?" 

He shrugged. "It's never seemed like the right time." he didn't think there would ever be a right time to tell her about Camden. 

 

Laura had already been by. The grave was clean and a cup of coffee sat at the base. He touched it and smiled as he tried not to cry. "I've got a girlfriend. You would like her. She doesn't let me get away with anything. She's a red head. Like you always used to say screw blondes, gingers have more fun." he laughed once and leaned on the headstone. "I think she might be after my soul." he could almost hear Camden laugh. "Nothing much has changed since last year, still working for Banshee, still living with Derek. Oh he has a boyfriend. You and Laura would have a field day with that. Still just living day to day. I know, I know. But it's getting easier. Maybe soon." he ran his finger over the letters and stood up. "I'll see you next year bro. Try not to let yourself go. I almost didn't recognize you." He stared at the white stone before turning and heading out. 

 

When he got back Derek was lounging on the couch and the menu screen for die hard was playing. "Cora is on her way. She said Laura actually picked her up so maybe this will be a good year." He sounded hopeful. He nodded. If felt like a good year. It had been too long. They all needed to move on. But knowing that didn't make it any easier. 

"Why is that not playing?" Laura asked when she walked in. Derek hit play when she hugged him. "I managed not to cry when I ordered today." 

He hugged her tighter. "That is one giant teddy bear!" Cora shouted. They all scrambled to tickle her. He laughed watching Derek sit on Cora as Laura tickled her. "Get the gimp off me! Isaac! I got the teddy bear!" he pulled Derek up, because he suspected he hadn't moved out of inability to and not because he was evil. He handed out the shots. "Drink you losers!" Cora crowed. They did and spent the rest of the movie shouting out famous Camden Commentary and laughing. He hesitated over which one to put in as the credits rolled. 

"Vengeance," Laura whispered flopping back down on the couch. 

He nodded and slid in the disc. "I love me some Jeremy Irons."

\--

She hadn't heard from Isaac all day yesterday but Stiles convinced her not to text or call. "He probably just needs a day." he told her casually but she could see that there was something more to it. Something that Derek had told Stiles that Issac hadn't told her but she held her tongue and manged not to say anything. She could give him a day. And she would spend hers the way she hadn't in a while. 

"You have any plans?" she asked Stiles who made a face and shook his head. Lydia grinned. "Scary movie marathon?" she asked and he grinned tossing his burnt coffee in the sink. 

"We're going to Starbucks first." he told her and she grinned, jumping in complete delight. 

 

Stiles pushed her through the store in a shopping cart. She hadn't bothered to put on shoes when they left the apartment and she was determined not to let her Captain America socks get soiled by grimy tile. There were a surprising amount of horror movies to choose from when they wheeled up next to the row and she leaned out of the cart to snatch up a couple of them. "What even is this?" she asked grinning, absolutely delighted by the terrible synopsis on the the back of the plastic case, smuggling it into the basket before Stiles could veto it. She loved the cheesy ones. She always had. Her first horror movie had been her and Stiles watching the Evil Dead when his parents went out for Halloween when they were eleven and they had laughed the entire time. And seeing as she was likely to have the shit scared out of her all night she knew she would need an intermission somewhere. When they rolled up to the check out they had seven movies, extra butter jiffypop, about ten different kinds of candy and a couple packs of reds apple ale and bluemoons. The woman at the register looked like she was trying to hide her smile when they packed up and Lydia jumped onto Stile's back, grabbing the bags as he grabbed her. "Thanks!" they sang at her obnoxiously and zoomed out of the story to the car, giggling with excitement. It had been so long sense they had a good normal day and she couldn't wait. 

 

"Don't open the door. Don't do it. Stop. No!" she squeaked pulling the blanket up over her nose, peaking over the top just as the door peaked open. Nothing happened. 

She let loose her grip until their front door crept open and Derek asked, "What are you doing?" just as the monster lasted out. Stiles spazed out, Lydia screamed and Isaac and Derek tried their best not to laugh at them. When she finally got her breath back she threw a Twizzler at them that Derek easily caught and they pushed them inward to take their spots on the couch.

Her fingers twirled through Issac's hair where his head rested on her lap, humming along to rerun of singing in the rain that she had switched to after Stiles and Derek had tucked in for the night. Issac had fallen asleep not long after but she had stayed up, determined to finish one of her favorite movies. But now she was barely staying awake. She yawned and scratched gently at his scalp. "Babe," she muttered leaning down and kissing the side of his head, "Babe, let's go to bed." she muttered and he groaned pouting as his eyes fluttered open at her. She laughed and got up, holding out her hands to him and he lazily stuck his arms out allowing her to dragging up and dumping all his weight on her. 

She staggered and laughed, pushing back on him. "Lydia, caaaary meeeeeee," Issac whined and she struggled to pull him down the hall. 

"Why....are you...so... fat?" she huffed kicking her door open and dropping him on the bed. He squirmed his way up into the blankets and made grabby hands at her until she climbed in on top of him, wiggling her way comfortably into his arms.

\--

Lydia was asleep next to him when he woke up. Her mouth hung open in what should be unattractive, but he couldn't bring himself to admit it. He picked a tag of fabric and tossed it into her open mouth. She didn't respond and he did it again. He rolled over carefully and tore off a corner of paper from the notebook Lydia kept next to her bed in case inspiration hit her. He made sure it was a blank page. Half of the page later his laughter woke her up and she sat up spitting out the mass of balls of paper. He couldn't hold back the obnoxious laughter. They play fought and she shoved the rest of the page in his mouth as she sat on his chest. Derek walked in on that. “Kinky,” he said with a raised eyebrow. Lydia snickered and pushed herself up. “Stiles made breakfast.” She hopped off the bed. He tossed the paper away and went to follow her. “You need to tell her,” Derek said grabbing his elbow. He looked at the serious expression before nodding. Derek made a joke and they entered the kitchen laughing.

 

“I don’t like it.” Scott frowned. Allison was glaring. Lydia was frowning. He read the request again and didn't say anything. “I don't want everybody knowing what my wife looks like in her underwear.”

Allison snorted. “But everybody can know what you look like naked?” Scott looked confused for a second. “That stupid video you and Stiles made of you streaking? I still get random people emailing it to me. Even if you guys insist you removed it.” Allison looked over to Lydia. “Isaac will do it. No one else has to be there. And you can decide the pictures.” He looked up when his name was mentioned. Three sets of eyes met his. 

“I think they have their own photographer in mind.” Lydia’s eyes narrowed. 

“Well I’ll just tell them we aren't doing it without you.” She seemed so sure of herself. He shrugged. 

Scott huffed. “If it’s really what you want.” 

Allison smiled. “I have three months. I want to flaunt what I've got for the rest of it.” 

Scott melted. “Okay babe. You’re never going to stop being beautiful.” 

Allison smiled and kissed him. “But it can’t hurt to have something to remind me of what you used to look like when you are yelling at me to change the kid’s diaper.” Allison slapped him playfully and sat back. L

ydia tapped his knee with hers. “Are you okay with this?” 

He nodded. “It’s my job.” He didn't know what the expression was that crossed her face was. It was almost like she wanted him to put up a fight, but he wasn't going to.

 

“I’ll practice my poses with you.” He laughed as she rolled around on their giant bed in the hotel the magazine had put them up in. He sat tucked into the corner as she seductively pouted and arched. She was in one of his t-shirts and a pair of his boxers. It was probably the best thing he’d ever seen. She didn't get very far into her extensive list of poses before they were pressed together and she was arching for other reasons. 

“You can’t look at me like that tomorrow,” he said with a groan as he slid in. She pulled him down for a vicious kiss. 

“I can’t promise that.” She rolled forward and he forgot his complaint. 

“You’re going to kill me,” he sighed as Lydia ran her fingers over his chest. 

“Nah. I’ll keep you around.” He huffed out a laugh.

 

The photo shoot was small and it was just him and Erica like they had promised Scott. Allison and Lydia did a few shots together that he knew Stiles was never going to shut up about if he ever saw them. Allison’s solo photos were coy. He knew which ones he liked the best and knew that those would be the ones that Scott picked. Lydia rocked hers as she always did. He was glad that it was just the two of them and Erica was off showing Allison the photos. Lydia kept making little noises she knew drove him crazy.

That night Lydia curled around his side and her twirled strands of her hair. “My brother died.” Lydia's hand on his chest stilled. “It destroyed me. Camden was my entire world. I stopped living, but I think I’m finally ready to live again. To stop mourning him.”

\--

It was like the world stopped. Lydia held her breath to keep it from hitching at the admission. Her first reflex was to ask him why he hadn't told her about this, they had been together for a few months and been friends for over a year now, that seemed like a pretty big thing to keep to yourself. But she chose not to, he told her now and more than anything she hurt for him. She had heard Isaac talk about his brother so many times she should have noticed the sadness in his eyes. He had loved him so much. Her hand started moving again and she pulled herself closer to him which shouldn't have been possible but she did it. "Tell me about him." She told him softly feeling him relax into her and she couldn't help but love that.

 

The kiss behind her ear make her jump and giggle at the same time slamming her notebook shut when Isaac made his way around the airport bench to take his seat next to her. "What are you writing? " he asked but she just shrugged in a noncommittal way and grinned. 

"Nothing." She told him. Isaac pouted at her and she laughed. 

"Common babe," he whined reaching for the book but she held it as far out as she could fending him off in a fit if laughter as he tickled the he'll out of her until they hit Stiles who looked at them in disgust. 

"You think you two can not touch each other for ten minutes? " he asked maybe a little harsher than he meant to going back to his laptop. Lydia frown at Isaac who was raising a brow at her in a silent question. Stiles and Derek were in a fight. She had heard them yelling about something before they left for the shoot but Stiles had so far not been forth coming and it was clearly eating at him. Isaac pulled them both back up into a sitting position and she scooted over to her best friend, tucking her head onto his shoulder, Isaac wrapping an arm around both of them. Eventually Stiles snuggled back muttering how much he hated them. They made up as soon as they reached the airport though and Derek met them with a teddy bear and a sheepish look on his face.

 

"That makes thirteen," Lydia sighed signing off on the track list for the new record and sliding it back over to Laura who was frowning just a little. 

"We need one more." He told her bracing herself for the eruption that was about to happen. 

"What?" Lydia asked sucking up a big breath the fuel her rant but Stiles gripped her arm. 

"Just one more song. Something acoustic maybe, softer. The label wants something different." 

Lydia shook her head. "I don't have anything acoustic." She told her rubbing her eyes. 

"Yeah you do." Stiles reminded her. "I heard you playing it last night. It was good." He pursed his lips not getting the look she gave him. That was a private song. Something she had written for Isaac after he told her about his brother. She didn't want to give it to the label. She hadn't even worked up the nerve to give it to Isaac yet. 

"I don't know..." she started but Stiles shook his head at her and turned to Laura. 

"It's a good song. We'll work out the arrangement and record it next week." He told her and that was that.

 

"How long has she been in there?" She could hear them talking about her through the door but she didn't move. She had already ducked the warmth out if the bath water and refilled it once, piling it high with bubbles and let the heat pour into her. She didn't want to get out even though she was pruney and hot. She wanted to stay in the bath and not play this song and have it out there for the world when she just wanted it for the best part of her own. The door opened and she looked up at Isaac when he sat down on the side of the tube with a little confused frown. "Hey." He said softly and she creased her brow making a beard with her bubbles. 

"Hey." She said back finally looking at him. 

"You going to tell me what's up?" He asked trying not to laugh and she sighed. 

"The label is making me sing this song." She admitted and he laughed sliding his hand down her knee that was propped out of the water just a little. 

"Isn't that kind of what you do, babe?" He asked with a smirk and she stuck her tongue out at him. 

"This one is personal." She told him and he made a face at her asking for an explanation. "I don't want the world to have it. " she told him knowing full well that she was whining and not giving a single fuck. "I wrote it for you." Isaac's eyes glazed over with a warmth that practically cooked her in the tub. 

"Let them hear it." He told her. "It's still for me. They can't take that away baby." She might have pulled him into the tub. But by the noises he was making he didn't seem to care.

 

Isaac was sitting back in the booth next to Laura smiling at her like she was the best thing ever and she was positive that it was going to end up killing her if he didn't stop. She still hadn't played the song for him, she couldn't do it with him looking at her. And after half an hour of freaking out every time she started she got frustrated and hit her E string too hard and it snapped, slapping her across the cheek. She itched at the Abe Lincoln bandage on her cheek and sighed trying to block him out. Block everything out. This was just another song a song that meant something and she would play it. Hopefully in one take. "Ready?" Stiles asked pulling his headphones on and she nodded clearing her throat. 

"One two three four-" the chords started. It was a different sound than they normally handled simpler and less grungy, a lot of air and suspended chords because she hadn't ever meant for it to be a song for the band. She was thinking about it so hard that she almost missed the first verse but she caught herself just in time. "I find myself missing your shadow. There's nothing to keep myself grounded so I fall- with no arms to keep me from shaking, it's shallow- this breathing I'm taking, it's breaking. I stumble to keep myself moving. If I stay behind they'll all see that I'm loosing, this freshly made over composure. So try not to stare at the ground.  
Just- relax relax relax, I know your trying. But we're all dying just to reach out- we're all trying not to speak out.  
Soo- relapse relapse relapse, I'm suffocating. Cause you're not waiting for me now. I wound up on my own somehow." She kept her eyes closed unable to look up into the booth as she kept going through the song. She only leaked up when it was finished and she pulled the headphones off. But Isaac wasn't there. She frown at Stiles was it bad?" She asked a lump blocking her throat but he shook his head. 

"It was awesome." Laura said over the com, her eyes looking red an puffy. She rubbed at her throat trying not to feel guilty.

\--

The phone kept ringing. Three. Four. He sighed when the phone clicked over to voicemail. -Hello?- he sobbed into the pause. -Just kidding. You've got my voicemail. I totally got you too didn't I? Speak now and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.- he hung up and thumbed down. It rang once and Derek's voice came over the phone. "What's wrong?" he didn't say anything. "Isaac. Just breathe." he should have just called Derek. He shouldn't have called Camden's cell. Him and Laura had decided that Derek should have it. That way if it rang too many times he would know they needed someone to help them. He hadn't called in almost two years. 

"Lydia wrote a song about Cam." he finally managed to get out after Derek started reading out loud whatever book he was reading. "I couldn't stay in there. I should have. She wrote it for me. And it's amazing. But there was just too much. I'm not drowning anymore. Derek. I'm not. My brother is dead and I don't feel like my world has ended. I don't want to let it go. I don't want to... I like the pain. Cause I know it can't get any worse. But if I let myself be happy. Then when it all comes crashing down it'll hurt that much more." 

Derek was quiet. "Isaac." he gripped the phone tighter. "Be happy. Don't worry." 

He barked out a laugh. "Oh my god." Derek huffed out a shaky laugh. "You messed it up. Cam's going to haunt you for ruining his words of wisdom." 

Derek shrugged. He could hear the shuffling of his shirt. "Eh. Worse things could happen than your brother haunting me." 

Isaac nodded. "Yeah. You could be dating Stiles. Oh wait!" 

Derek grumbled. "Shut up. He's majestic." 

He paused. "Did you just call Stiles majestic?" 

Derek was quiet like he hadn't realized what he had said until it was repeated. "I didn't stutter." 

He snickered and rubbed at his face. "Sure." they were quiet, but it wasn't strained. 

"Isaac. Go talk to your girlfriend. Tell her what you thought of her song. And tell her what you told me. You don't just have me anymore."

He nodded. "Okay." He pulled his phone away but heard Derek talking. 

"But I'll always pick up." He smiled as they said their goodbyes. 

 

He stepped back into the studio. Stiles saw him and stood. He smiled at him as he passed. Lydia turned, confused as to why Stiles was suddenly leaving her. He pulled her into a hug before she could say anything. "Thank you." he whispered into her hair. "I love you." he didn't know where that had come from. He hadn't even thought it before that moment but as soon as he said it he knew it was true. 

\--

Her words got stuck in her throat for a moment to long when Laura came in with the producer and ruined her moment to say anything back. Her heart was hammering and she spent most of what should have been a very important conversation staring at the man next to her rubbing little circles into the back of her hand looking like God damn sunshine and rainbows and everything she ever wanted. And it scared the shit out of her. Stiles kept throwing her looks but she avoided looking at him. She was freaking out majorly she couldn't figure out why or what was wrong exactly. Except Isaac loved her and oh my god he loved her! For some reason she felt like they had said it before, they had to have, it was so obvious that they were crazy about each other but they hadn't. This had been the first time. She held onto his hand like she thought he would float away but he didn't say anything while she signed the release and the rights and they were walking out of the building. She stopped him when they got outside pulling off so they they could have a minute, Stiles running off to get the car. "Are you okay?" She asked him letting her thumb trace the lines that tears had left on his cheek. She shouldn't have let them have that song. She knew it was a stupid idea. "I'm sorry. I knew this was stupid, I shouldn't have even-" but he kissed her and she forgot what she was talking about for a minute. 

"Stop." He told her, "I loved it. I love you." He told her making her heart swell and Stiles honked breaking their moment yet again.

 

"And you didn't say it back?!" Allison and Derek demanded at the same time making her cringe. Isaac and the boys had gone to get donuts and left Derek with his ladies to hold an intervention for Lydia's frayed nerves. 

"I was going to!" She told them before they could bite her head off, "but I kept getting interrupted and I'm not just going to say it to say it okay? It's the first time. It should be special... right?" Maybe she was being stupid. But the way that Derek smiled at her and Allison got all gooey eyed told her that maybe she wasn't such a sap.

 

It's was like the world didn't want her to get it out. Every time she tried to tell him something was happening a phone would ring, a friend would show up, a car would crash, the world started to implode. By the end of a week Lydia's nerves were completely frayed and Isaac couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. He watched her pound back her third shot of fireball with a mix of concern and admiration. "Maybe you should slow down." He told her grabbing the next one out of her hand before she could down it and placing it out of her reach. She just pouted and watched him wave to to bartender to settle the tab. But she knew he was right. 

She slid off the stool and caught herself on his shoulder leaving a big red lip stain on his cheek. "Bathroom." She told him and he hesitated to let her go before he nodded. She pushed through the crowd glad to see that the line for the bathroom was fortunately small. After reveling herself she made her way out of the bathroom walking past a table of noisy college looking boys who whistled and shouted at her as she cut past them. Her mind told her not too but the shots had made her brave and she turned on then with a scowl. "I'm sorry but do you really get women like that?" She asked, feeling a hand familiar safe and wonderful hand slide around the small of her back and pull her close. 

"Every thing okay here?" He asked just her with a burning in his eyes and one if the men respond. 

"You should learn how to control your woman." He told him. 

"You should learn how to treat one." He growled back, his voice low and sexy as fuck but she pulled him away ignoring the way they called after him. The hall to the bathroom was pretty much empty when she shoved him against the wall and started breathing him in. It took him a minute to get his baring but when he did he pulled away gasping. "What was-" 

"I love you." She told him kissing him again, trying to climb into his skin." Take me home and love me now."

\-------

 

 

He smiled at the red head bouncing in front of him. "Are you ready?" 

She nodded and he started the video. "Hi mommy! We miss you!" he laughed as Addy kissed the screen and the camera shifted focus. "Ready daddy?" he nodded and straightened the ukulele. Stiles still cackled any time he touched it. Lydia had tried for a year to get him to play guitar, but his fingers let him down so she shoved the ukulele in his hands and taught him all the best songs. He still has a video of them drunkenly singing the ukulele anthem. Lydia had fallen to the floor laughing as he sang off key and way too serious. "One two three four!" their baby girls voice called and he grinned as he watched her sing. "I want to feeeeeeel you up." he snickered and she turned to give him a stern look before they went back to singing. "Ooze is such a gross word daddy." she said as they reached it. 

"I told your mommy that. She didn't listen." he kept playing and when it was clear she'd lost her place he started in softly and she jumped back in. He watched her bounce and sing. Until her tiny voice screeched out the final notes and she clapped with glee. 

"Send it to mommy! Send it to mommy!" she shouted and he smiled at the camera before ending the video. 

 

It had taken a lot to get Lydia out the door when it came to the tour. Allison and Scott had been over and talked to them for a long time about the logistics. Scott's mom was watching the boys while they were away. He knew none of the band wanted it to end, but Stiles and Derek had finally gotten all their shit straightened out, Allison was working on a third pup. They had Addy and it just didn't seem like there was space for touring anymore. Lydia had curled up against him and asked him if he thought it was time they retired. He glanced down at her and ran his fingers through her hair. "I know you are happy here and I want you here with us all the time. But I know you love performing." they were both quiet for a few minutes. "Maybe you can do giant venues here. That way you are coming back to us and not Stiles." 

Lydia laughed. "Rooming with him is a privilege." 

He kissed her. "I'm with you on whatever you decide." 

She sat up. "You're the worst. I was planning on being mad at you for not changing the dryer but I can't now." 

He kissed her and settled back against the pillow. "All part of the plan." 

 

-We decided mommy needed her own concert from her two biggest fans. I'm not really a fan. I'm just a groupie in it for all the sex, but the little one seems to like you. I don't know how she got such bad taste.- he watched as Addy tried reading the words. "Anything you want to add?" she looked up at him then seriously at the screen. 

"No. You got it." he smiled and kissed the top of her head as he added we love you. And hit send.

**Author's Note:**

> Link to the 'oosing' song in case you missed it.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgdOvjftzoo


End file.
